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The High Hat Is Connected with the Primitive Hat. Everybody agrees that nothing in the way of dress is quite so ugly as the modern “plug” hat or the Derby—both of which are so stiff and black and in human in contour. W. M. Webb sug gests the origin of these inheritances from our remote ancestors, says the Youth's Companion. When we come to the hut, we find that its name is connected with a build ing of a primitive nature, a hut. Edgar A P. Newcombe, an architect, some years ago pointed out the curious re semblance which has existed and is still to be found in many countries be tween the headgear and the habitations or other buildings. It may be that the same taste, or lack of it, has given rise to the similarity of style, or in the be ginning the designer of the hat may have taken the hat as a model. In the Hawaiian islands, lone before the inhabitants troubled themselves about clothes, they built themselves grass houses, and at the present time the characteristic Hawaiian hat is re markably like the hat. The turbans of the eastern church dignitaries are still the same shape as those worn by the high priests among the Jews and are remarkably like the characteristic dome which surmounts a morque. Again going back into Euro pean history we find that the high, pointed spires of Gothic churches were contemporaneous with the high, horn like headdress known as the hennin. It is believed, moreover, that like re sults will be found after a comparison of other styles of architecture with the costume of the period in which they flourished. Climatic Conditions Unfavorable. Another unusual feature of the for est fires of 1908 is found in the wide range of territory visited by the flames. In the Maine woods and in the Adiron dacks of Northern New York; through out the State of Pennsylvania ; in Mich igan, Minnesota and Wisconsin and other territory adjacent to the Great Lakes the forest fires raged simultane ously, and even on the Pacific Coast the menace has been present, threaten ing among other things the destruction of one of the finest groves of the prized big trees. Moreover, the forest fires this year have been unusually difficult to conquer, and In many instances the owners of magnificent private forests or hunting preserves provided with the best private fire-fighting systems have found themselves unable to cope with the rapidly traveling flames and have been obliged to appeal to nearby mu nicipalities for aid. The season's unparalleled record has given the country an unpleasant object lesson as to what may happen any year and has aroused everybody concerned to a realization of the need of some better system of fighting and prevent ing this immense searly loss. Not only have private Individuals and corpora tions owning timber lands been stirred to action by the spectacle of the past few weeks, but the United States Gov ernment has inaugurated a country wide campaign that it is believed will point a way to prevent many forest fires and to control those that, despite precautions, gain a start. As a first step the national Govern ment has had one of the most efficient employes of its forest service, Mr. Ray mond W. Pullman, traveling over the burned areas in the Northwest and else where, and not only gathering detailed statistics that will be of value in urging congressional action on the subject, but also taking notes as to the physical characteristics of the fires and all de tailse that might lead to a better unde standing of this destructive element and the best means to circumvent it. At the same time the national au thorities have detailed an expert on for estry, Mr. Paul G. Redington, to make an investigation of the whole broad subject of forest fires and to devise ways and means for an im provement of conditions in the future. In speaking of the line of action to be taken ‘by the government in enlisting co-operation for the common cause Forester Redington stold recently: “What is wanted is an organized ef fort on the part of the government, the states, corporations and individu als. There should be adequate fire laws in every State where any forcsts are located. ‘These laws should pro vide for the appointment of fire war dens, who should have authority and the power to enforce such, and to call upon the services of citizens in fight ing forest fires which occur. The law should provide a penalty to be im posed upon any man who refuses to give his services “n time of need.” It is realized that the railroads through their spark-emitting locomo tives’ constitute one of the chief sources of forest fires and consequent ly one of the first moves which has been made by Uncle Sam in the pres ent undertaking was to invite the rail roads to make common cause with the federal government against forest fire menace. There have been prepared articles of agreement for a co-opera tive working arrangement between the government and those railroads whose lines traverse the national forests in the West, and this is believed to be but a beginning of a better under standing between some of the parties most concerned. Without the unsel fish aid of corporations the United States government will have uphill work in its crusade against the forest fire menace. The Forest Patrol. When it comes down to systematic methods of fighting forest fires, the subject does not, happily, present a wholly unexplored field. For some years past the United States govern ment has been rapidly developing an efficient patrol and fire-fighting system on its own forests, and, inasmuch as Uncle Sam now controls about one fourth of the forest area in the Unit ed States, it can be seen that the na tional authorities have had an excel lent practice ground on which to try out their theories on a large scale. The realization brought by the forest fires of 1908 of the crying need for organized effort in fighting forest fires throughout the entire country, comes just at a time when the government has its own system practically perfect ed, and there is no doubt that this will be used as a model that will be copied by State and county authori ties, corporations and private individ uals, who are owners of extensive tim ber lands. Under the forest patrol system main tained by the United States govern ment on its own land a ranger or guard travels on foot or on horseback over the district of which he has charge at regular Intervals and keeps a careful lookout for any fires that may have started since his preceding patrol. This nomadic fire warden makes especially frequent trips along the wagon roads, trails or other fre quented routes of travel through the forest and not only keeps his eyes open for incipient fires, but cautions all per sons who may be traveling through the forest to be sure that any fires that they may light are fully extinguished before the camp grounds abandoned. The arteries of travel through the forest are also extensively posted or placarded with printed notices warn ing hunters, campers and the traveling public In general against the dangers of starting fires except when absolute ly necessary, or abandoning a camp site while the embers of the camp fire are still aglow. Not only do the for est rangers, or government patrolmen, pace their “boats” through the forest, but every now and then each of these guards climbs to commanding eleva tions or lookout points within his dis trict to survey the whole situation, and, if the existence of a fire is dis covered, the ranger either puts it out himself i if he is able, or, if the flames are too formidable for his unaided ef fort, he summons the assistance of other rangers. A complete system of telephonic communication throughout Uncle Sam's forests enables the rally ing of a good-sized fire-fighting force at short notice. Finally, these very busy rangers follow railroad trains— if their districts be traversed by the steel-tracked highways — and extin guish the innumerable small fires that constantly originate from locomotive sparks.—St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
Newspaper Details
Mountain Democrat
Placerville, California, US
Sat, Jan 02, 1909
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Will S.
USA 27 Jul 2026
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