
GRADUATES CLASS OF 1907 173 

Wilber was employed with the William M. Ritter Lumber 
Company of West Virginia from June, 1907, to January, 1908, 
when he became forest assistant in District 4 of the United 
States Forest Service. Since July, 1910, he has held the position 
of New Jersey state fire warden for the New Jersey Forest 
Commission. 
He writes: “Nearly two million acres of forest, largely within 
reach of densely populated centers, traversed by an unusual 
mileage of good roads, criss-crossed by a thousand miles of rail- 
road, and in large part without the telephone, present in New 
Jersey a field of work in forest protection in which a strong 
foundation has been laid, but which still offers a wide scope 
for work on the superstructure. 
“Control of this situation now rests on a state fire warden 
with four helpers, 275 local men under a township warden 
system, and a small corps of fire lookouts and patrolmen. 
Though it has its weaknesses, experience has proved that the 
local system can eventually be relied on. The public understands 
the fight on fire because it sees results and the local effort pro- 
ducing them. The short step from forest protection to forest 
development is taken by yearly increasing numbers. An annual 
retainer of $10 to $20 to the wardens, with reasonable but not 
attractive pay to them and all fighters at a fire, elicits creditable 
activity and ready response whenever need arises. A strict 
requirement of permits for all brush burning throughout the 
year but latitude in handling individual situations by special 
annual permits has engendered universal caution without causing 
excessive inconvenience. Rigid imposition of some penalty for 
every violation of the law, but the possibility of a reasonable 
adjustment of its severity to the specific case, have made 
supporters instead of enemies of most offenders. 
“High efficiency comes slowly, but the fires are growing 
smaller and their aggregate area less. Carelessness is giving 
way to caution. Offenders punished now number hundreds 
yearly. The woodlands, so repeatedly burned heretofore and 
long rated of little value, are showing the effect of fire control, 
for forests are spontaneous throughout the state and their recu- 
perative powers prodigious. New Jersey, therefore, stands 
committed to a policy of establishing forest values, existent and 
potential, by guaranteed protection from fire.” 
