The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1944-12-21


sources in that they are being con
stantly replenished. Timber is now
a crop.
More industries are using wood
as their raw material. Science has
discovered new uses for celluIose
and lignin and wood in its natural
state, and because the abundance of
the forest harvest provides a sup
ply which can be made continu-
Gus.
No one knows who manufactured
the first wood projects in America,
but wood objects have been found
in excellent state among the an
cient relics of the pre- historic
mound and cliff jewellers.
The first commercial export car
60 taken from America to Eng
land were poles, shakes, and other
forest products. This was dispatched
by Captain John Smith in 1903
who wanted to substitute other val
tables for the gold which James
town Colony had failed to produce.
The beginning of the lumber in
dustry in America is claimed by
many communities. But the records
prove that the first saWmills were
established in Jamestown in 1905
No one knows how many species
of trees there are in the world.
However, 10000 have been de-
scribed The tallest living tree is
the California coast redwood, 1854
feet tall; II feet inches in diam
eter, and located on North Dyar-
vile Flat, Humboldt State Redwood
Park, California.
Paul Bunyan is an American
neurological figure of folklore. He
was created on the tall tales told
around the camp fires in early log
ging days. Many books have been
written about his exploits in which
he is giant lumberjack and cap
able Of cutting down a whole for
est with one swing Of his axe. In
company with him is his great blue
OK. Babe. They travelled the coun-
try performing many great deeds.
About one-third of the United
States is forested. In a single plot
American forest lands would make
a tract Of $500 miles long and 1878
miles wide, embracing $50, $4,000
acres.
The principal enemy of the for
est is fire. There are three types of
forest fires. Surface fires, crown
fires, and ground fires. Crown fires
are those which travel from top
to top Of living trees. They are the
most destructive and the hardest to
combat They are most common in
dense stands of even-aged timber.
The current annual bill for for
est fires is about s30,000.00O or $45,-
100000 year. Exceptionally bad
fires have exceeded 100000, 900.
The cost of forest fires is met in
dividually and comparatively by the
forest owners, the states, and the
federal government.
The principal causes of forest
fires are careless smokers. These
cause 25.5% of all forest fires. In
cendiaries are second with 2480e;
debris burning, third, 1867, light
ming, fourth, 9.l9o; campers. fifth,
$50, railroads, sixth, 42%, and
numbering, seventh, 1.9cs.
Small fires are beaten out with
green brush or a wet blanket or
they may be smothered under soil
They are also extinguished with
water poured or pumped from hand
pumps. Many timberland owners
and cooperative protection associa-
tons have trucks equipped with
large tanks, power pumps and hose.
Large fires can be checked by start
ing back-fires against the wind.
Most fires are controlled largely
by robbing the fire of its fuel. Oc-
caslonally parachute troops drop be-
hind the fire lines in regions where
it is too difficult for ground troops.
Every tree in the forest must
be taken care of in every possible
way. They play an extremely i'm
portant part in the present condi-
tons Of our country, and they will
also be necessary in our future
In this country of many re-
sources, lumber is now playing an
important part. Libby is a spoke Of
this large wheel of industry and is
doing her share in the world .zs..a.-.