HARDWOOD RECORD 



39 



Midsummer Forest Fires in Michigan 



Charles F. Hickolc, cliief warden of the Michigan Hardwood Manu- 

 facturers' Association, forest fire protective department, lias published a 

 report for July and August, of which the following is a summary : 



In reporting on the activities of this department for the months of 

 July and August it gives me great pleasure to report no loss to listed 

 properties bv torest tires. The month of July was a favorable one for 

 the work of forest protection. Local showers were of frequent occur- 

 rence throughout the patrol districts and these, followed by a rising tem- 

 perature, brought on a heavy undergrowth over forest and slash lands. 

 This green growth on the cut-over lands served to retain the moisture 

 supplied bv the showers. 



Many tires were sighted during the month but, on investigation by 

 wardeiis, were found to be flres set bv settlers who were taking advan- 

 tage of the favorable conditions to burn stumps and old log heaps. All 

 of these fires were kept under control by the parties responsible tor their 

 origin. The men were prompt in locating and visiting the scene of all 

 fires and. in each case, those having fire in charge were warned against 

 their being allowed to run at will. Taken as a whole, the month of July 

 has been the most favorable month of the patrol season, only tour 

 neglected flres being discovered by the department, and they were dis- 

 covered while small and quickly extinguished. 



The beginning of August ushered in a decided change in weather con- 

 ditions. Showers were not as frequent as those in July and were of a 

 shorter duration. During a part of the month much heavy south and 

 southwest wind was experienced with rising temperatures. However, this 

 condition was relieved bv light rainfall followed by cool nights and sub- 

 siding wind and no fires were recorded tor the week ending Saturday, 

 August 9. The davs following were noticeable for sudden changes from 

 heat to cold. Fortv-nine roaming fires were recorded for the month. 



The late frosts of May and June killed nearly all the buds and blos- 

 soms on the blueberrv bushes, destroying the crop almost entirely. Dur- 

 ing a short time manv searchers for this desirable fruit were met in 

 the woods and on the plains by wardens on patrol. The blackberry crop, 

 coming later in the season, was untouched by frost, and berries have been 

 fairly plentiful in many localities. Berrv pickers, in large numbers dur- 

 ing the past thirty davs, have been located and warned against the care- 

 less use of fire. Stream and lake fishermen, campers and woodsmen have 

 been much in evidence during the past sixty days. 



This oflice is in receipt of numerous reports of camping locations visited 

 where camp fires had been drenched or buried with sand. These and 

 other indications point to an awakening, on the part of the public, to 

 the careful use of fire. Worthy of mention is the precaution taken by 

 owners of traction engines, many of whom are now moving from place 

 to place. Wardens have met these machines on the roads and found 

 them to be well screened. Some distance in the rear of the engine a 

 man was met who followed in the capacity of patrolman to discover and 

 quench any fire that might possibly be set by the engine. This precau- 

 tion points to a great improvement over conditions of the past. 



In compliance with a general order from this ofljce, the men are cruis- 

 ing their districts In view of locating the most desirable points for the 

 erection of lookout towers. It is the purpose of the department to erect 

 twenty-tour of these in the fire zone covered by the wardens. They are 

 to be 'fifty feet in height and are to be placed in carefully selected loca- 

 tions, overlooking large areas. From these smoke can be sighted and 

 fire easily located. In many of the districts two towers can be placed 

 to such an advantage that a view of the whole district can be gained by 

 visiting each tower. Tills lookout service will prove of great value dur- 

 ing dry periods when flres are numerous and discovery of small flres is 

 essential. 



The two months' record of causes and number of fires follows : 

 Cause Number 



Lightning 1 



Railroads JU 



Settlers 1-^ 



Fishermen 1 



Campers * 1 



Berry pickers g 



Smokers ? 



Logloaders 1 



Boys herding cattle 1 



Unknown *> 



Total 49 



Cut-over land to the amount of 1,712 acres was burned over during 

 July and .August. In some cases fires were allowed to run in order that 

 bad fire traps might be burned out, thus reducing the hazard during 

 dangerous periods. . . , ,. ^ ^.^ 



This oflice Is in receipt of reports from nine districts relative to the 

 co-operative burning of slash in the townships embraced in the patrol 

 area. The idea is "meeting with hearty support by supervisors and resi- 

 dents alike, and it is believed one trial of the plan will suflice to estab- 

 lish co-operative burning davs as a custom throughout the fire zone with 

 a consequent reducing of the hazard and lo.ss from forest fires. 



Chicago Exposition in Argentina 

 Consul R. M. Bartleman at Buenos Aires, South America, reports, to 

 this government that an exposition of American manufactured articles 

 which are exported by members of the Chicago Association of Commerce 

 was opened at Calle Belgrano 732, Buenos Aires, on July 7, 1913. This 

 exhibit consists of a varied assortment of manufactured products, such 

 as elevators, braces, paint, trunks, desks, addressing machines, lamps, 

 soap, clothing, canned food, and many others, and is purely an exhibit, 

 nothing whatever being sold. This exposition has awakened a great 

 deal of interest and will be a permanent feature of the work which 

 the Chicago association is doing in this city. It is a commendable 

 method of bringing American-made goods to the attention of merchants 

 in this city and should be fruitful of profitable results. 



An Opening in Morocco 

 A report to this government by Consul Maxwell Blake at Tangier, 

 Morocco, calls attention of American business men to that country as 

 a promising field for trade expansion. Various commodities manufac- 

 tured wholly or partly of wood are listed among those likely to find 

 market in that country. Agricultural implements and furniture are 

 listed, and lumber to the value of nearly $200,000 a year is already 

 entering from America, The markets of Morocco have heretofore been 



of small value to foreign manufacturers because of the insecure condi- 

 tions in all parts of the region back from the immediate coast ; but the 

 military campaigns carried on by the French have brought the warring 

 tribesmen to terms, and great trade development is looked for in that 

 region. Americans are free to compete for as much of the trade as 

 they want. It is practically a treeless region and the United States 

 Is in a position to secure a generous .share of the lumber trade. 



Building Operations for August 



The official reports of building permits issued during the month of August 

 by 66 cities throughout the country, received by the American Contractor, 

 Chicago, reach a total value of $51,328,287, compared with $75,818,314 for 

 August, 1912, a decrease of 32 per cent. This sharp shrinkage is not due 

 entirely to a decrease in new work this year, but rather to a spirit of 

 activity a year ago. For while the building permits decreased this year from 

 .«56.228,194 in July to $51,328,287 in August, a decrease of less than 10 

 per cent, the total ^during the summer of 1912 Increased from $66,245,719 

 in July to $75,818,314, a gain of about 15 per cent. It is interesting to 

 note also that the shrinkage in building activity for August is not general. 

 More than one-third of the cities reporting, or 24, show gains. The prin- 

 cipal gains made in August, as compared with a year ago, were as follows : 

 Cleveland, 92 per cent ; Newark, 101 per cent ; Oakland, 80 per cent ; 

 South Bend, 71 per cent ; Syracuse, 50 per cent : Tacoma, 71 per cent ; 

 Troy, 152 per cent. Details are as follows ; 



City— August, 1913. 



Akron ? 354.125 



Atlanta 34S.23g 



Baltimore 674, SS7 



Birmingham 333,385 



Boston 817,975 



Bridgeport 409.060 



Buffalo 6S2.000 



Cedar Rapids 250.000 



Chattanooja 125.430 



Chicagt 5.744,900 



Cincinnati 5l>4,1.30 



Cleveland 4.041,970 



Columbus 495,140 



Dallas 405,300 



Dayton 144,460 



Denver 233,S10 



DfS Moines 88,775 



DulutU lo8,9t)0 



Evansville 171,375 



Ft. Wayne 174.175 



Grand Rapids 220.701 



Harrisbur? 95,565 



Hartford 554,425 



Indianapolis 700,768 



Kausas City 827,475 



Lincoln 75,115 



Los AuReles 3,501,593 



Louisville 445,210 



Manchester 80,509 



Memphis 321.116 



Milwaukee 1,159,013 



-Minneapolis 1,211,230 



Nashville 101, ■.(24 



Newark 1,814,638 



New Haven 258.693 



New Orleans 295,260 



Manhattan 4,4.n8.93l 



Brooklvu 2,663,107 



Bronx' 1,201,64.". 



New York S..^23,731 



Oakland ' 1,080,096 



Omaha 536,51.i 



Patevson 49 730 



Philadelphia 3.696.860 



Pittsburgh I,0.n9.662 



PonlanJ 1,168,245 



Richmond 304.343 



Rochester 791.643 



St. Joseph 4i-?;9 



St. Paul 775.146 



St. Louis l'?||'?II 



San Antonio 225..3N5 



San Francisco ■^'**'^^ oi 



Scranton ®5'^„ 



Seattle 3^2.42» 



Shraveport ^"I'^i*; 



South Bend Hooto 



Spokane ^IS'^S 



Springfield -A?'??? 



.«!.vracuse •''yi'ijS 



Tacoma oSS'aw 



Toledo ^VA^- 



Topeka «-|2= 



Xroy 141, (SO 



Washington o?T'm? 



Worcester z^i.yya 



August, 1912. 



S 564.465 



478.159 



694,304 



325.761 



1,956,641 



— Per Cent — 



Gain. Loss. 



36 



27 



3 



o 



.r 58 



39 



92 

 27 



12 



10 



23 



6 



13 

 15 



101 



soo.noo 



180,000 



134,210 

 8,436,100 

 1.618,385 

 2,102.063 



3S9 830 



623,098 



260,285 



5-43,830 

 79,475 



207,788 



188,620 



264,805 



200,514 

 77.725 



514.930 



888.670 

 1,016,150 



125.500 

 3,212,007 



.551.800 



741.712 

 1,101,595 

 1,026,300 

 1,050,815 



146.660 



901.069 



291.705 



284.636 4 



22,2!3,n51 



2.805,333 



2,300.552 



27,; 5S.936 



600.080 SO 



-'74.137 13 



136,303 

 3,445. r,a5 7 



1.170.4.34 

 . 1,094.509 7 



413,935 

 1,005.329 



132 848 



618.744 25 



. 1.671,951 



3.'!4.515 

 1.950.602 



185.810 



563.435 3 



425 889 

 66.E90 71 



110.457 



143.225 



.333.095 .50 



89.527 71 



334.985 7 



85.362 

 56.215 152 



912 766 



5S7.858 



32 

 89 



23 



9 



.3* 



21 

 18 

 40 



is 



89 



31 



ii 



80 



s 



48 



70 



26 

 2] 

 68 



35 

 33 

 17 

 66 



Total 



..? 51.32S.2S7 



S 75.SI8.314 



31 

 59 



32 



' \i ; iro5i;ai»iii;w.\:>twTOmmj;iwtmj>twiii^^ 



Hardwood 'News Notes 



:-< MISCELLANEOUS >-= 



Harris & Cole Bros, have discontinued business at Cedar Falls, Iowa. 



The Iberia Cypress Company has discontinued business at New 

 Iberia, La. 



The Robinwood Lumber Company will erect a hardwood mill plant at 

 Jackson, Miss. 



The Illinois Refrigerator Company at Morrison, IIL, has Increased Its 

 capital to $400,000. 



