12 



MICHIGAN ROADS AND FORESTS 



crating with him to bring about the desired 

 results. 



The state game, lish and forestry warden 

 has a $10,000 emergency fund which he can 

 draw oil at any time for the prevention of the 

 starting and spreading of tires, but his report 

 made to the 1'ublic Domain Commission under 

 date of Oct. 13, would show that while a great 

 deal of work has been done by his department, 

 only $2,000 of the emergency fund has been 

 used, leaving $8,000 to be turned back into the 

 state treasury. 



In addition to the work on the tire lines, 

 we are working in conjunction with the su- 

 pervisor of the township in which the reserve 

 is situated in rebuilding a bridge across Wolf 

 Creek, which will be of great value to both 

 the settlers and the reserve. About ten acres 

 has been cleared about the barns at the Hig- 

 gius .Lake Reserve, and everytning has been 

 done to prevent the buildings from being de- 

 stroyed by tire. A cement foundation has 

 been put under the log house on the Roscom- 

 mon Reserve No. 2, and the house for the as- 

 sistant custodian has been repaired by a new 

 chimney, so that the assistant can live there 

 with his family. About twelve acres of flat 

 land has been cleared, ditched and seeded, and 

 in the future we intend to grow hay for our 

 own horses on this reserve. Reports from 

 custodians on both reserves show that only 

 about 25 acres of the 42,000 has been touched 

 with lire, and no timber of any amount has 

 been destroyed. This tire was started by a 

 camper en the edge of a marsh and thi land 

 burned over was mostly hay marsh. 



We have instructed the land commissioner 

 to hold all sales in the counties in which the 

 lands are situated; have instructed the land 

 commissioner to have deeds prepared reserv- 

 ing the mineral, coal, oil and gas rights of all 

 lands sold by his department; we have in- 

 structed the land commissioner to have deeds 

 prepared reserving the rights of ingress and 

 egress over and across all lands bordering 

 upon courses or streams; we have instructed 

 the auditor general and the land commissioner 

 temporarily to suspend the sale of lands in all 

 counties north of the second correction line 

 until the lands for forestry purposes could be 

 selected; we have selected the 110,000 acres 

 of lands to be used for forestry purposes and 

 have instructed the auditor general and the 

 land commissioner not to dispose of any lands 

 in these counties. 



Things That the Commission Intends to Ac- 

 complish. 



The making of the forestry reserve as nearly 

 self-sustaining as possible by the lumbering 

 of all the dead and down timber, and thus re- 

 moving, as far as possible, the danger of fire; 

 the extension of our fire lines so as to protect 

 the property as much as possible; the building 

 of roads on the township line, the same to 

 be used as a fire line, and a road for settlers 

 to go through the reserve. 



We are of the opinion that if there is a good 

 straight road where the travelers can con- 

 tinue their jcurney when the shadows of night 

 come on, that they will not stop and camp 

 on the reserve, and thus increase the chances 

 of destroying the timber by the building of 

 camp fires to cook their evening meal; the 

 growing and planting of trees, as far as our 

 appropriation will permit; the establishment of 

 lock-out stations on the hills in the forestry 

 reserve, and a telephone system from head- 

 quarters to the look-out stations; thn establish- 

 ment of telephone lines to the reserve; the 

 working in conjunction with the supervisors 

 for the settlement of all agricultural lands in 

 the counties of the state; the promotion of 

 good feeling and harmonious action. 



Some of the Things That the Commission 

 Has Discovered Since Its Organization. 



That it is wise to have the heads of the de- 

 partments that arc being directed and con- 

 trolled by the commission, members of the 



commission, for in that way there is absolute 

 harmony in our work. 



We have discovered that when a certain 

 thing should be done it is not only gratifying, 

 but very convenient to have a complete or- 

 ganization, equipped in every way for the ex- 

 ecution of the order and and the furnishing 

 of the information desired. For instance, when 

 we thought it advisable to take some steps to 

 prevent the starting and spreading of fire by 

 locomotives, and when we thought it ad- 

 visable to have the right of ways cleared up 

 so that there would be no debris for the 

 sparks of the engines to set fire to, we in- 

 structed the state game, fish and forestry war- 

 den along this line, and in forty-eight hours 

 his whole force was at work carrying out the 

 instructions. When we deem it advisable to 

 take any action in regard to trespass, or want 

 maps prepared showing the state lands, or 

 wish to have sales held in any particular way, 

 or land withdrawn for any purpose, the land 

 office is equipped for the execution of the 

 order and the performance of the work. 



It will be the policy of the commission in 

 the future to build up, not tear down; to cor- 

 rect, but net condemn; to work in harmony 

 with all departments for the best interests of 

 this great commonwealth, which we all love 

 so well. 



U. OF M.'S NEW COURSE 



IN CONSERVATION 



"Just as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow 

 the United States must take the most exten- 

 sive methods for the conservation of the nat- 

 ural resources at once or else face economic 

 poverty, and that is the reason the University 

 of Michigan will offer a thoroughly outlined 

 course in this line," says Dean M. E. Cooley, 

 of the engineering department, in regard to 

 the pioneer work that the university has be- 

 gun. 



Dean Cooley was most instrumental in ar- 

 ranging for the course, and through his 

 energy Michigan becomes the first educational 

 institution to undertake the work of develop- 

 ing men fitted to take charge of the con- 

 servation in all departments of the natural 

 resources. 



"It is not too much to predict," the dean 

 continues, "that before a great many decades 

 >-ne will find sailing ships on the ocean and 

 a great system of mule-drawn canals through- 

 out the country to carry out the necessary 

 transportation. Geologists have already fig- 

 ured out the absolute limitation of the iron 

 supply and the fuel resources are rapidly be- 

 coming a most serious question. Without iron 

 or fuel mankind will be compelled to return 

 to the products that can be continually pro- 

 duced by nature's aid. Even the warning of 

 James J. Hill that this country will be face 

 to face with a food problem within ten years, 

 cannot be treated lightly. 



Has Great Possibilities. 



"This era of limitation of resources to the 

 things which can be produced consistently, 

 like trees, etc., can only be delayed it is an 

 inevitable fact. The only logical delay is 

 through conservation, and the government is 

 just beginning to realize that. I believe be- 

 fore the first degrees of Master of Conserva- 

 tion of Engineering are given, the necessary 

 work for which covers six years, there will 

 be a great demand fcr men who are equipped 

 to take up the specialized work in this line, 

 and the government or private interests will 

 not be forced to pick up men without this 

 fundamental training. Just how soon the de- 

 gree will be first given cannot be determined 

 as some of the present students could be able 



to prepare for it, but I believe there will be 

 plenty of opportunity for them. 



"The course will be of such a general na- 

 ture that it presents great possibilities. For 

 instance, apart from the more commonly con- 

 servation plans, take improvements in river 

 navigation. If the streams can be made navi- 

 gable in a practical way, it will dispense with 

 a great consumption of material and fuel in 

 the transportation preposition thus being of 

 great economical benefit. The course will deal 

 with the work of planning at the head waters 

 of streams so that as much power can be 

 secured during the summer as the winter, thus 

 supplying a great increase of power. These 

 are but two points to show the scope of the 

 course in scmewhat unfamiliar lines." 



Broad Training Needed. 



The purpose of the course is to train men 

 broadly for the work of conserving, develop- 

 ing and utilizing the vast resources in the min- 

 eral, vegetable and animal kingdom but in 

 addition it will take up water power, irriga- 

 tion, agriculture improvement, amelioration of 

 sanitary conditions. Work will be taken in 

 three distinct departments, engineering, liter- 

 ary and law and the total number of hours se- 

 cured by the graduate will be 210. 



Over a fifth of the work will be in cultural 

 subjects and language and other work outside 

 of the purely engineering course, which covers 

 civil, mechanical, electrical and chemical math- 

 ematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, geol- 

 ogy, mineralogy, biology, botany, zoology, for- 

 estry, drawing and surveying. 



The courses have been outlined from those 

 given at present in the university but as soon 

 as the students are ready for the advanced 

 lines new, special courses will be added. At 

 present the innovation will not demand any 

 increase in the faculty of the university. 



It is regarded by many prominent faculty 

 men as the most progressive step made by the 

 university in practical education in recent 

 years and they expect to see other institutions 

 throughout the country follow Michigan's ex- 

 ample. Especially enthusiastic are those who 

 deal with economic subjects as they appreci- 

 ate most vitally the need for the saving of 

 the natural resources of this country. 



ASK FOR BETTER ROADS. 



The city's neighbors subdivision of the 

 municipal committee of the Board of Trade 

 of Grand Rapids has decided to send a letter 

 to the Good Roads Commissioners asking 

 that a trained good roads man be employed 

 as a superintendent or adviser to the commis- 

 sioners of the district to secure uniformity 

 of work in good roads making in the township 

 district. 



One of the most important recommendations 

 to the district commissioners provided that in 

 every road making undertaking in the future 

 no time should be wasted upon cheap roads, 

 but that efforts be made to bring each road 

 within the class of state reward roads. It was 

 also suggested that a certain part of the an- 

 nual appropriation should be set aside for 

 repairs and that signs should be placed along 

 the highways asking drivers to not habitually 

 use the old ruts. It was recommended that 

 the width of the gravel hereafter should be 

 twelve instead of nine feet, this providing 

 wider highways. 



The commissioners are asked to keep a de- 

 tailed record of its road work and that they 

 will preserve in their efforts to secure larger 

 appropriations. 



The matter of oiling the roads was dis- 

 cussed at some length and it is proposed to 

 make an experiment along North Canal street 

 on the roadway used so extensively in driving 

 to the West Michigan State Fair grounds. It 

 is believed the Standard Oil Company will co- 

 operate in this work. 



Dowagiac, Cass county, has put into effect 

 the law permitting prisoners to be worked on 

 the streets. 



