| Show the forest area ot of the united states exclusive of alaska approximates acres though seven seten tenths of 0 this forest area lies on the atlantic side bide ot of the continent and though the prairie states contain but 4 per cent of forest growth the subject of forest fires Is none the less one of vital interest to the northwest because this section still possesses the one groat great source of supply of the most valuable of all timber white i alte pine the annual cut of white pine Is estimated at million feet board measure tills this is triple the amount of lumber obtained from any other tree and its relation to the total output may be seen from tile the tact fact that the entire cut of conifers and hardwoods together Is million feet pennsylvania and new england which formerly supplied the white pine for the country are exhausted and the principal sources of supply are now northern wisconsin and minnesota with some small tracts of 0 virgin white pine forests in michigan in the forest fires of 1891 1804 1 minnesota a alone I 1 one lost 12 worth of this precious and dwindling supply other states annually lose amounts exceeding and the total annual loss los according to mr N fr fernow Ier now far exceeds 25 2 i destructive forest fires have already begun their work tills this year in the allegheny region when it Is remembered that the industries relying on forest products stand easily second in capital and men employed after ag agriculture gri culture and that their output exceeds aur our mining products by more than 50 per cent the sweeping effects of those these accumulating fire losses must be apparent to nil all maln main and wisconsin have recently led the way in adopting preventive measures moa the minnesota law which is as good I 1 as any yet formulated in this country constitutes the state auditor a forest commissioner for the state with a salaried deputy to be known knon as chief ire warden the super igors of towns mayors of cities and presidents oy of village councils ore are made local fire wardens and power la Is given to press into service lit in emergencies any able bodied man A line fine of for carelessly setting jiro fire to forests Is imposed wisely increased to 00 lit in case where the net act is done maliciously the wisconsin law is similar except that hint the chief clerk of the land office Is forest warden those these measures aro are good as far as they go but they do not go far enough it Is true that a strong public opinion in forest regions will prove proe the most suri summary mary extinguisher of fires but lit in default of that canada has dis eo cocked ered tile most effective system the province of ontario has a system of mounted patrols or fire rangers who from may to september placard the towns and hamlets educate the people by rigid watchfulness and employ as e when fires break out owing to this service ontario escaped last summer with scarcely any loss though it was the driest season known for years fur annually michigan or wisconsin or minnesota could not only maintain such a patrol but could take the additional precaution of burning the bluder like debris left on oil all lands front from which the timber has recently been cut the ul ultimate dinato saving would mount high into the millions aud benefit the nation at large |
