area than they otherwise could. Eventually these towers will 

 be connected with the ranger's office, and the patrolmen will 

 be mounted on ponies, so that, having discovered a fire from 

 the tower, the patrolman may telephone a report of it to the 

 ranger, and will be able to quickly execute the orders for the 

 extinguishment of the fire. 



As a further step toward preventing fires, we have secured 

 the co-operation of the railroads to the extent that the rights 

 of way of all their lines in the forest district are carefully 

 patroled at their expense whenever our rangers feel that there 

 is danger of fires being set by their locomotives. After their 

 disastrous experiences of the season of 1910, the railroad com- 

 panies can readily see the advantage of spending a few thou- 

 sand dollars to prevent the occurrence of fires. A great deal 

 has been done. The total of damage claims and suits now 

 pending would make the strongest kind of an argument with 

 them for the inauguration of some scheme which will reduce 

 the danger. During the past season two or three spark ar- 

 resters have been designed, and they give every evidence of 

 satisfaction under the trials to which they were submitted. 

 It is hoped that during the coming winter there will be a con- 

 certed effort on the part of the different companies to pass 

 upon the respective merits of these spark arresters and adopt 

 a design which is thoroughly efficient and satisfactory. 



In addition to the patrolmen provided by the railroads for 

 their rights of way, we have also another auxiliary body of 

 patrolmen, which may be called upon, this is from the various 

 lumber companies. Each ranger knows the location and ex- 

 tent of all cut-over slash lands in his district, who were re- 

 sponsible for them, and how many men were required in a 

 dry season to take care of them. When necessary, either the 

 firm responsible for the slashing or the owner of the land will 

 be called upon to put on a patrol force to keep out the fire. 



These two organizations, then, can be depended upon in time 

 of need to put on a salaried force of patrolmen, amounting to 

 about four hundred men. To a certain extent under direc- 

 tion of Forest Service. 



The new law makes a provision whereby organized town- 

 ships may levy a tax not to exceed five mills, to provide a fire 



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