14 



public opinion which prevails in certain parts of the Adirondack 

 region as to the cause of forest fires. In nearly every village there 

 is a disreputable class whose presence is inimical to the preservation 

 of our forests. They are the men who, having been arrested at 

 some time for violation of the Game Law or timber stealing, have a 

 grievance against the authorities. They hang around hotels or 

 taverns and when any so-called " State man " is in hearing, delight 

 in making threats that " the State has got to look out or there will 

 be more fires in the woods," to which the bystanders listen with 

 smiles or nods of approval. It is discouraging to post the rules and 

 regulations regarding the use of fire, only to have them torn down 

 by a fellow who afterwards struts around some barroom bragging 

 of his exploit. Nor is this all. It frequently occurs that when a 

 farmer willfully burns his fallow in defiance of the law and warnings 

 of the firewarden, thereby destroying the adjacent forest, the citizens 

 refuse to furnish evidence of the crime although they are fully cog- 

 nizant of the facts. 



Aside from the railroads the remedy for this evil lies with the 

 residents themselves. It rests with them to create a healthy public 

 sentiment that will prevent the careless and criminal use of fire. 

 If the taxes caused by the expense of protecting forest property in 

 the town become burdensome, they are largely responsible for it ; and 

 instead of spending their time in useless complaint they can utilize 

 it better in remonstrating with the men who carelessly or wilfully 

 violate the law. 



Whatever the causes of the fires may have been, there was no 

 remissness or inefficiency on the part of the firewardens in attacking 

 them promptly and energetically wherever they broke out. Every- 

 thing was done that human activity and experience could accom- 

 plish. I heard some unfavorable criticism at times; but it came 



