i6 



a gang of selected men and set them to work. Of the total burned 

 area in the Adirondack and Catskill forests, only 12 per cent, was 

 State land, this low percentage and immunity from extensive loss 

 being due largely to the assistance rendered by the Governor. 



There seems to be an impression on the part of some people that 

 the efforts of the firewardens were of little avail ; and that the termi- 

 nation of the fires was due solely to rain. This is an error to a great 

 extent. The rain was certainly a great blessing ; but when it finally 

 came, June nth, the greater part of the fires had been extinguished, 

 or were under control, although the burned area in many places was 

 still smoking. By the phrase " under control " I mean that the 

 wardens had reported that these fires were completely coralled, and 

 that a crew was on watch to prevent any fresh outbreak. 



In many cases, as just stated, the flames were completely extin- 

 guished the one on Township 41, for instance, which occurred on 

 State land in a heavily timbered spruce forest that had never been 

 lumbered. In other places, where the progress of the fire had been 

 effectually stopped, the burned area continued to smoke and smolder, 

 owing to the extraordinary dry conditions; but the ground was 

 closely guarded, and whenever there was any indication that the wind 

 might cause a fresh outbreak measures were taken to prevent it. 



A noticeable example of good work was seen at Fulton Chain Sta- 

 tion, where by judicious back-firing and effective work a general dis- 

 aster was averted and the village saved from destruction. On Town- 

 ship 28, Hamilton county, also, the lumber crews, acting under the 

 direction of Mr. John Anderson and the Chief Firewarden, after 

 working night and day, stopped a large fire that threatened at one 

 time to sweep over the entire town. Many other instances where 

 extensive and dangerous fires were fought to a standstill without the 

 aid of a rainfall could be cited if necessary. 



