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With the advent of lookout towers, communication by telephone and wireâ€" less, mechanical equipment and air service, it is realized that a permanent organization with special trainingz must be developed and maintained t> cope wi‘h the situation. Many of the fires this season were put out or under control with five to 20 men in a few hours, that a short time ago could ns have been controlled with any number of men. In studying the results of this past season and comparing it with previous years one is encouraged to believe that we are getting satisfactory results, at least commensurate with the amount of money spent on this work. It may interest the readers of this to have some basis for comparing the status of forest fire protection of th» WM\N‘WW‘W I am afraid that the gensral pubâ€" it of Ontario will never appreziets or realize what a battle was staged by the forest officers, rangers and airmen in the outlying regions of northwestern Ontario in 1929. Before the days of trained men, mechanical fireâ€"fighting cquipment, air transportation and orâ€" ganization, a season such as 1929 would have spelled disaster to the forests and many of the settlements of western Ontario. Those who realize the character of much of our forest region with its accumulation of years of natural deâ€" bris, windfall and logging slash of a coniferous nature, do not wonder thal serious fires occur when real hazardâ€" ous weather develops. Bad fire ceaâ€" sons are naturally a question of weaâ€" ther conditions and this past season has been no exception. A large porâ€" tion of Ontario this season developed periods of bad fire weather, but the northwestern end of the province exâ€" perienced the most trying, drawnâ€"out drought with its attendant fire troubles known to the oldest inhabitants. Folâ€" lowing the very dry autumn of 1928, this spring cpened without appreciable rains and a continued drought lasted through the summer until early in September. Fires stanted as soon AS smow left and scarcely a day passec till early in September which did n# seen new fires reported. Throughoaut this vast region 50,000,000 acres) no fire was allowed to go without acâ€" tion, and when the records are all in it will be shown that the great majoriâ€" ty were placed under control within a few hours. Education in forest fire prevention has probably done much to change the attitude of the general public toâ€" wards this menace, but for many years our cnly hope will be in developing and maintaining a real live forest proâ€" tection organization. kn Arcs mc ts es The forest fire season of 1929 will go down in history as one of the bad fire yvears and experience gained this season again emphasizes the fact that nrevention and suppression of forest fires is still the major problem conâ€" fronting foresters in this country. The following article by Mr. E. J Zavitz, Deputy Minister of Forestry, as published in the current issue of "Abitibi," the magazine published by the Abitibi Power Paper Co., outlines the work of the department and the results obtained. The article follows:â€" Attitude of General Public Changed by Educational Methods Says Deputy Minister of Forestry for Ontario in Interesting Article. 1929 was a Bad Year for Forest Fires but Showed Notable Advance in Forest Fire Fighting and Forest Fire Prevention. # mmmmsxxssss.sss.\.\sssxssssxswxm\sssssmssg g Couple $1.50 Extra Lady 50¢ 3 Advance Shown in 1929 in Fire Fighting Forestry Head Office and Yard RED AND GREEN Slate Surfaced Roofing in Strip Shingles and Rolis. Asphalt Roofing and Sheathings. Spruce Building Paper Clear B.C. Fir Vâ€"Joint; Gyproc; Hardwood Floor ing; SPgruce Flooring Vâ€"Joint and Shiplap; White Pine Featheredge; Clear Fir and Pine Doors in stock sizes ; Sash in stock sizes. Lumber, Building Materials, Coal and Coke, Mine and Mill Supplies A COMPLETE STOCK OF ROUGH AND DRESSED LUMBER "The first crew commenced to pump water on the fire with ons pump at 3.30 a.m. The second pump which was sent in by boat commenced shordy after daybreak. By eight o‘clock in the morning, we had three pumps cperating and a crew of 17 men. This crew worked continuously for 36 hours before being relieved by a second crew of 10 men sent in August 27th. "This fire occurred on one of the most hazardous days during the seaâ€" son. It started at approximately four o‘clock, August 25th, and by nine o‘â€" clock was about 15 acres in size. From the time the first small crew and pump reached this fire by plane, it had "At 11.30 p.m. Sunday night, Augus} 20th, we received a call from the Chie‘ Ranger, who had then> returned to Skead for men and provistons. In asâ€" cordance with this, we gathered nin» men and supplies for a 25â€"man crew for four days and sent them by truck to Skead, at which poin‘t they arrived at 2.20 p.m. These men were immediâ€" ately sent across the lake by bsat toâ€" gether with the Deputy Chief from Milnet and a third pump. In this conâ€" nection, we may mention ithat ‘the opera‘or at Milnet was off duty at this hour and we were forced to send him a message over the C.N.R. despatcher‘s wire. "This fire (Rathbun Township), was reported to us by Parkin and McConâ€" nell Towers at 5.15 pm. on Augu 250th. The Chief Ranger at Skead was immediately no‘ified and at 5.30 p.m. a plane left here to appraise the fire and assist in any way possible. Before dark the plane had accurately located the fire, flown the Chief Ranger over it and landed two men, a pump and hose. The rest of the crew of eight men proceeded to the filre on ‘the ground. The progress and development of protecting Ontario‘s forests from fire can best be judged by a study and analysis of the life history of the inâ€" dividual fires as shown in the reports coming into Head Office. The followâ€" ing is taken from a letter dated Auâ€" gust 28th, making a summary report on one of the difficult fires in the Sudâ€" bury district. The Trent district comprising over three and oneâ€"half million acres has a complete detection system of lookout towers with communication centering in the Tweed district office. During the last of August and first two woeks of September this district experiensed one of the worst seasons in respert of dry weather, known in years. Up to the first of October 163 fires had bzen reported and all buwt two had been put out or under control within 24 hours. The total area burned will probably not exceed 5000 acres, much of which is poplarâ€"birch type with little timber of present commercial va‘lue. In 1913, in the eastern portion of this district, 158,000 acres were burned and no comâ€" plete records exist for the total acreage o the whole district. The answer is good organization, lookout towers and communication and a better public apâ€" preciation of the problem. The averâ€" age annual expenditure to secure these results has amounted to around cne and oneâ€"half cents per acre. present with that of the past YXard SCHUMACHER Phone 533B Pires of railway origin have almost csased to worry us and railway organâ€" izations are fully alive to the need of fire prevention and suppression. Durâ€" ing this past difficult season in western In closing, I wish to say ‘that in adâ€" dition to the improvements in organâ€" ization, equipment and appliances for carrying on forest fire protection, there has been a splendid public support which is so necessary to solving this problem. We find wherever infracâ€" ticns of the forest fire act take place. local magistrates are alive to the necesâ€" sity of giving the Forestry Branch every assitstance and support. Industrial concerns connected with the forest industries in the north have given splendid assistance this last seaâ€" on and firstâ€"class coâ€"operation is had with most woods organizations. While the tower is an old and trusted friend in forest protection, it may interest the reader to know that Ontario has at present 236 towers with communications of over 2,500 miles of telephone. Another interestâ€" ing phase of communication now being used is wireless. Realizing the diffiâ€" culties of administering the outlying, inaccessible regions of our north, the Ontario PForestry Branch during the past three years has developed a sysâ€" ‘em of wireless communication which now makes it possible to keep in tsuch with many strategic points Eightesn stations have been established with others projected which make it passible to keep in daily touch with forest proâ€" tection as well as other developments n these outlying regions. The forest region is divided into eleven districts or units of administraâ€" ticm with district offices established under trained forest officers. It is wellâ€"known that forest fire organizaâ€" tion is a losval problem and the effort is made in Ontario to decentralize, giving district offices power and auâ€" thority to get quick action so nscesâ€" ary in meeting emergencies. The outstanding feature in the last 10 years of forest fire control is the plazse acquired by the portable gasoâ€" fire pump. I see that there are serious dehbates as to who first thought of the portable pump. I know a chap who knows the wholestory of its oriâ€" gin, but better still, I know what a reâ€" volution it has made in the possibiliâ€" ties of fighting and controlling forest fires. The Ontario Forestry Branch has at present 360 units with 725,003 feet of hoze which means an investâ€" ment in his one unit of equipment of nearly $300,000. " "We are advised by the Chisf Rangâ€" ‘er in charge of the fire, that approxiâ€" mately 18 acres have been burned. ‘Fifteen acres of this amount carried a |second growth stand of merchantable | white and Norway pine." | Another example of the value of good communication and quick action '15 given in the following summary of tFlre No. 57, Trent District: There must @also be a permanent slaff of key men who are specially trained and equipped to meet the daeâ€" mands when a peak fire season deâ€" velops. In fact, this is about the most difficult feature of this work; the maintenance of a trained staff year after year which can cope with the extreme fire season, which is bound to hit us from time to time. During the worst of the period this summer in northwestern Ontario, pumpmen, deâ€" puties and even chief rangers were sent west from more favoured districts to assist the overburdened western It may be news to some readers that we have over 25,000,000 acres in the east in which no air service is used, but which is dependent on lookout towers and . telephone communication. The central region depends cn air service with small areas provided with lookout towers while a large portion of northâ€" western On‘tario is almost entirely deâ€" pendent on air service for detection and suppression. The Ontario Forestry Branch has an organization covering a territory of over 125,000,000 acres with the most reâ€" mote district office one thousand rmmiles from Toronto head office, Within this area practically every problem known to forest fire «protection is presen‘ted. The above are not isolated cases, but only samples of reports coming in from all parts of the forest region and exâ€" plain the fact that 65 to 70 per cent of our fires do not buun over five acres and about 93 per cent. are held under 100 acres in size. "At 9.00 a.m. July 2l1st, Observer James Word, of Methuen Tower disâ€" covered a fire on Lot 8, Concession 5, Methuen Township, five miles distance from the tower. He immediately adâ€" vised Deputy Watson at his headquarâ€" ters in Apsley by telephone. Deputy Watsonâ€" immediately called Ranger John Wojxd and instructed him to go to the fire, advising him that he would follow with reinforcements at once! Ranger Wosd left his headquarters at Lot 16, Concession 6, Methuen Townâ€" ship at 9.15 a.m. Travelling a disâ€" tance of three miles by canoe and on foot he arrived at the fire at 10 a.m. He found three small fires burning. Ranger Wood was able to keep two fires in check. Deputy Watson left Apsley with his truck and equipment, went to Oak Lake and got three extra fire fighters and arrived at the fire at 12.15, traveling a distance of 28 miles, three of which were were on foot. At 12.45 all three fires were under control â€"one fire burned two acres and the other two about oneâ€"quarter acre each." e M been held in check and at the time of writing has burned about 18 acres. We have a fire line entirely encircling the fire and four lines of hose. We have been pumping water on the fire continuously for 56 hours and our Chief Ranger now reports the fire deâ€" finitely under control. The crew of 27 men will be kept on at this fire until aAll danger is past. THE PORCUPINE ADVANCE, TIMMINS, ONTARIO Ontario, great assistance was rendered by the full coâ€"operation of railway offâ€" clals of every grade. Jr. IIIâ€"Arthur Moyle, Marjorie Cosâ€" tain, Annie Cartonick, Steve Ustranyk, Mary Shumilak,, Joyce Hughes, Donald Pecore, Betty Jordan, Frank Miner. Senior Secondâ€"A. M. Pace teacherâ€" Buddy Robertson, Louis Actis, Jack Senior Thirdâ€"M. E. Watson, teacher â€"Ruth Doran (hon.), Frank Parsons, Hattie Baker, Beatrice Spiers, Eva Baker, Neil, Pirie, Elsie Armstrong, Billie Millions, Mervin Stevens, Stanley Millions, Tom Webb, Edmund Richardâ€" son, Billie Miner. Junior Fourthâ€"Orry Costain, Dick Stone and Joe Baker, equal; Joe Mitâ€" chell, Catherine MacPhail, Annie Macâ€" Phail, Erica Larkin, Roddie MacPhail. Senior Fourthâ€"Marcella J. Lynch, teacherâ€" Bazel Doran, Sidney Thomas, Jenny Doran, Billie Cartonick, Margaret Suttiec, Harry McLean, Joe Woods, Irâ€" vin Richardson. The following is the honour roll for the Dome school for October:â€" DOME SCHOOL HONOUR ROLL FOR THE MOnin OF OGTOBER Standing of the Pupils in the Several Classes at the Dome School for the Month of October, 1929 Toronto Mail and Empire:â€"On the matter of this St. Lawrence route: It occurs that our overhead is about all we can carry and our outlets are quite sufficient for many years to come. Drumheller, Alberta, Mail:â€""I adverâ€" tised that the poor would be welcomed in this church," said the minister, "and after inspecting the collection, I see that they have come." Jr. Primerâ€"Edna Tripp, Irene Baniâ€" suik, Robert Richmond, Dorothy Anâ€" drews, Mildred Rickward, Hubert Butâ€" ler, Carson Chevier. Jr. Iâ€"Jean Stringer, Mary Donyluk, Agnes Robertson, Billie Honer, Violet Hedges, Primary Roomâ€"V. Morris, teacherâ€" Sr. Primerâ€"Jimmie Procopio, Donald Lightbody, Alice Robertson, Bobby Milâ€" lions, Ronald Moyle, Celia Donyluk, Billie Murphy, Fernley Uren. Jr.â€"Harry Bonasuik, Betty Mitchell, Walter Baker, Mabel Tanny. Patsy Uren, Kenneth Harvey, Reggie Libby, Jimmy Murphy, Jack Pecore, Bobbie Rickard, Robert Chevier, Mary Curtis. Sr. Iâ€"Marjorie Spiers, Tony Procopio Reggie Butler, Sloco Ustianyk, Elsie Parsons, Elizabeth Bonasuik, Ralph Muhell, June Philbin, Billie Richardâ€" son, Laura Millions, Kathleen Pecore, Kenneth Thomas, Marion, Jordan, Iris Webb, Stewart McGinn, Doris Woods, Burke, Basil Libby, Lioyd Doran, John Shumilak. Phone 200 Timmins Special Attention Given to Baggage Agent T. N. 0. Station See Us For Special Christmas Sailings Free Passport Service Agent Agent ion T. N. O. Station T. N. 0. Station Phone 42%6â€"w Phone 49 Ont. schumacher â€" Ont. South Porcupine, Ont Pullman Reservations Also Arranged FOR PARTICULARS APPLY TO N J. A. HAWKINS Agent on T. N. O. Station 7. Thursday, Nov. 7th, 1929 Local Transfer of Baggage to Station Arranged M. G. CLARK