768 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



side the boss was standing to direct 

 the movements of all six boats and to 

 facilitate their co-operation with shouts 

 of encouragement and fierce denuncia- 

 tions of failures. His customary re- 

 serve had deserted him, and minus coat 

 and hat, he was intent on every move- 

 ment, waiving his arms and occasionally 

 enlarging the English language in a rich 

 and poignant manner. 



Returning to the forks we watched 

 the small encampment rise as if by 

 magic, the six-foot fire logs drawn to- 

 gether and lighted, the rolls of spreads 

 untied and stretched out inside the 

 tents and the many small kitchen uten- 

 sils unpacked and made ready for im- 

 mediate use, while the neighing of 

 hungry horses, the barking of dogs and 

 the rattle of dishes woke the evening 

 echoes to a lively scene. Turning from 

 the blazing fire we now heard the sharp 

 click of the striking cantdogs above on 

 our stream and the lusty shouts of the 

 men who were soon abreast of us as 

 they rolled in the last logs by the faint 

 light of the evening glow and the fire's 

 uncertain gleam, and at last, wet and 

 thoroughly tired but exultant, they 

 swarmed about the fire for their last 

 supper on the drive, nor did the crew 



above on the rival drive care to de- 

 scend until we had well moved away 

 in the morning. The gathering dark- 

 ness had made further work on the 

 eddy impracticable and it must needs 

 be left to soak itself clear during the 

 night. 



For this meal extra rations had been 

 set out by the cook, to which was added 

 great basins of milk from a neighboring 

 farm and all else in abundance that 

 ingenuity could suggest, and upon the 

 arrival of the "rear" boats, racing at 

 top speed to the landing, for the last 

 time the clear notes of the cookee 

 sounded the invitation to "turn to" 

 which was immediately and unanimous- 

 ly accepted. For a time all was in 

 confusion as each man prepared his 

 gunny sack for an early start in the 

 morning or exchanged congratulations 

 or plans with his comrades, but as we 

 smoked far into the night with the 

 boss, one by one the men crept to their 

 tents, until the last form to break the 

 stillness of the scene after all others 

 had turned in, was the bent form of 

 the clerk, painfully writing on the top 

 of a soap box by the dim light of a 

 dripping candle, upon which rested a 

 table of wages and a small bottle of ink. 



FIRE LINES DESPITE THE LAW 



QOTWITH STANDING the in- 

 junction issued by the Court of 

 Chancery last spring restraining 

 the New Jersey State Forest Commis- 

 sion from enforcing the so-called "Rail- 

 road Fire Line Law" the three rail- 

 roads having the greatest exposure in 

 the State have voluntarily undertaken 

 to extend their lines during the coming 

 winter. The Pennsylvania Railroad 

 Company will make new lines on the 

 Freehold and Jamesburg Branch, on 

 the Long Branch Railroad, and on por- 

 tions of the West Jersey and Seashore 

 System. The New Jersey Central Rail- 

 road Company will make lines along the 

 New Jersey Southern Division south 

 of Lakewood. The Atlantic City Rail- 

 road Company will extend its lines in 

 Gloucester, Atlantic and Cape ]\lay 

 counties. All three roads will also do 

 considerable work in cleaning up and 



making efifective the lines that have 

 been constructed heretofore. The 

 length of fire lines now in service on 

 all railroads approximates 250 miles. 

 The increase this year will probably 

 raise the total to at least 300 miles. 



It is rather remarkable that this law 

 which has been declared unconstitu- 

 tional should still be so efifectively sup- 

 ported by the very parties against 

 whom it was directed ; that is, the rail- 

 roads which endanger the forests of 

 the State. The Forest Commission ex- 

 pects that the decision of the Court 

 of Chancery will be reversed by the 

 Court of Errors and Appeals. Such a 

 decision is earnestly hoped for as a 

 means of enforcing the provisions of 

 the Act where less liberal minded or less 

 far sighted railroad companies are con- 

 cerned. 



