1 poratiori or railroad company operating any railroad within 



2 this state to plough as a fireguard not later than July first of 



3 each year, upon each side of its line of railroad, a continuous 



4 strip of not less than six feet in width, which said strip of land 



5 shall run as near as possible parallel with said line of railroad, 



6 and be ploughed in such a good and workmanlike manner as 



7 to effectually destroy and cover up the vegetation thereon and 



8 be sufficient to prevent the spread of fire, and in addition 



9 thereto every such railroad corporation or railroad company 



10 shall cause to be burned, not later than August first of each 



11 year, all the dry grass and other inflammable vegetation lying 



12 between the said ploughed strips and the track of said railroad; 



13 and the outer line of said strips of ploughed land shall be upon 



14 the outer line of such railroad corporation or railroad com- 



15 pany's right of way, or if upon land owned by said corporation 



16 or company, one hundred feet on either side from the center 



17 of the track or outer track; provided, that such fireguard so 



18 to be ploughed need not be constructed within the limits of any 



19 town or city, nor along that portion of a railroad which runs 



20 through rough mountains, or on other lands where ploughing 



21 would be impracticable ; but that the provisions herein respect- 



22 ing the burning of a strip on each side as above specified shall 



23 be duly complied with whenever any vegetation is found along 



24 such line of road. 



25 SEC. 21. Any railroad corporation or railroad company 



26 failing to comply with the provisions of section twenty of 



27 this act shall be liable to pay a penalty of two hundred dollars 



28 for each and every mile or fractional part thereof of such strip 



29 of land as it neglects to plow on either side of the line of its 



30 railroad in this state, in each and every year as aforesaid, 



31 the same to be collected in an action of debt in any court of 



32 competent jurisdiction, in the name of the people of the State 



33 of California, and when collected it shall be paid into the school 



34 fund of the county wherein the cause of action accrued. The 



35 said action shall be brought within three years next after it 



36 accrues. 



37 SEC. 22. Every railroad corporation or railroad company 



