5 



start fresh ones faster than the men could attend to them. The 

 dead leaves, bushes, undergrowth, stumps, logs, and leafless trees 

 became so dry that it was only by the utmost exertion, combined 

 with skillful, experienced methods, any one fire could be controlled. 

 The conditions were such that incipient fires sprang up in the wake 

 of nearly every railroad train. The line of the New York Central, 

 from Fulton Chain to Mountain View, was bordered with smoke and 

 flames, except on the eight-mile stretch through the private preserve 

 of Dr. William Seward Webb, where a large number of patrols were 

 employed at his expense to follow each train, night or day, and 

 extinguish the locomotive sparks that fell along the road. 



A question may arise here Why did not the firewardens do the 

 same? But the law defining their duties does not permit them to 

 employ men until a fire is seen ; it makes no provision for patrolling, 

 or for the prevention of fires. Nevertheless, when it became evident 

 that patrolling was absolutely necessary to save the remaining forest 

 in certain localities, orders were issued to watch the railroads at these 

 exposed places, after which few new fires started along the track, 

 and the larger gangs of men were employed in fighting those which 

 were already burning. 



Another disastrous condition existed in the wind which was blow- 

 ing steadily most of the time, generally from the northwest, and 

 which on April 3Oth became a furious gale that filled the air with 

 sand and gravel, forcing travelers on the highways to seek shelter, 

 and pelting the buildings with a sound like that of driving hail. The 

 wind carried sparks and burning brands from the railroad fires a 

 long distance through the air and started fresh flames miles away. 

 The dry condition of the forest generated an intense heat when once 

 fairly aflame, rendering it extremely difficult and dangerous to ap- 

 proach a burning area except on the safe side. In the fire on Town- 



