THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST 101 



men are visited, cautioned and converted. In short, the 

 patrolman has a certain area in which to improve public senti- 

 ment. His success in this is worth more than efficiency in 

 fighting fires due to lack of such success. A system devoted to 

 mere fire fighting to be adequate must grow larger as time 

 goes xm. One devoted to preventing fire may be reduced, as 

 time makes it successful. 



The cost of efficient patrol varies so directly with the risk 

 that it is almost constant as an insurance investment. Where 

 prevalence of fire, difficulty of handling it, etc., make the 

 cost per acre comparatively high, there is equivalent certainty 

 of greater loss if this sum is not spent. Where the owner is 

 warranted in believing his risk small it costs but a trifle to 

 provide sufficient patrol to insure against it. One to 3 cents 

 an acre is spent in the great majority of successful patrols in 

 ordinary seasons. 



Associate Effort 



One of the first lessons learned from the establishment of 

 private patrol in the West was that both efficiency and econ- 

 omy are obtained by co-operation between owners. Obvi- 

 ously if one patrolman can cover the holdings of several, it is 

 foolish for each to hire a man. If a fire threatens several 

 tracts, it is better to share the expense of labor hired to put 

 it out. The same is true of building trails, buying tool sup- 

 plies, etc. This has led to the forming of associations which 

 at a minimum cost to each member accomplish the many tasks 

 of finding suitable men, having them authorized by the State, 

 supervising and supplying them, paying emergency, expense, 

 opening trails, etc. Each member pays his share upon the 

 acreage he represents. 



These associations offer other important advantages besides 

 the mere cheapening of work. They are admirably adapted 

 to modifying the cost to fit the season. Beginning in spring 

 with an assessment to cover putting the whole territory under 

 the essentials of supervision and patrol, they can add men 



