FOREST commissioner's REPORT. 'JJ 



The expense of starting the system, building lookout stations, 

 telephone lines, purchasing tools, etc. together with the em- 

 ployment of necessary help to make the law at all effective has 

 used practically all of the assessments and after four years the 

 treasury has nothing to the balance of the Maine Forestry dis- 

 trict, or that will be the state of affairs when all bills are paid 

 and the season of 1913 commences. 



Not being able to provide a surplus as was intended it is 

 quite evident that an additional tax will have to be made upon 

 the lands included in the Maine Forestry District and I would 

 strongly recommend that for at least one year an extra mill be 

 assessed which would provide between forty and fifty thousand 

 dollars and had we had such a sum in 191 1 there would have 

 been no outstanding bills. 



I also think that the law should be amended in some way so 

 that payment of the men could be made more promptly and 

 would strongly advise that such amendment make the Forest 

 Commissioner the dispersing agent; he to render to the State 

 Auditor a report in detail with proper vouchers showing the 

 disbursement of all money paid out by the department. Fol- 

 lowing the present method of first auditing and approving the 

 bills by the Forest Commissioner, then forwarding them to the 

 State auditor for a second auditing at the convenience of his 

 clerical force, and then again awaiting action by the Gover- 

 nor and Council and payment by the State Treasurer makes a 

 long process and a delay that is hard to explain to a crew of 

 men who are waiting for their money. The conditions in this 

 respect are much different than in any other department as the 

 men employed in fighting fire are in most instances transients, 

 who are at one place today and another tomorrow and if not 

 paid promptly it is sometimes hard to locate them and is almost 

 certain that they cannot be relied upon to work again unless 

 they receive their pay. 



It is hardly right to expect the timberland owners who have 

 been assessed for their portion of the forestry tax to be expect- 

 ed to pay the men and then waiting the State's pleasure for 

 reimbursement which in the case of 1911 meant to them the 

 expenditure of a number of thousands of dollars and with no 

 absolute assurance of reimbursement. 



