What the People Had to Say 



Mr. Harvey J. DeSilva, a citizen of Grant Mills, Delaware county, 

 writes as follows : I have a brier patch which I want to burn over. 

 It is contiguous to my woodlands with a front of only ten rods. I 

 apply for permission to do so, providing you will permit me to 

 inform our district firewarden, Mr. Everett Butler, to be present at 

 my expense. The forest is in full leaf now, and I am sure that by 

 diligent effort this proposed fire can be fully controlled. I do not 

 wish to disobey our laws, and therefore make this request of you.* 



Mr. Reuben Lawrence, custodian of the John Brown farm, North 

 Elba, Essex county. Please come here at once. The firewarden, 

 Mr. Byron Brewster, was here this morning and said he would like 

 to have a private talk with you right away. He wants you to see 

 the condition the fires are in near the John Brown farm and other 

 State lands. The men are doing all they can to keep it from the 

 house. The fire is under control now, but I cannot tell how long 

 it will stay so if the wind comes up. We are all living in hopes 

 that God will send rain in a short time to help the poor men that are 

 trying to keep the fire down. All the men in this town are tired 

 out and sick and exhausted. Still they will have to work. The fire- 

 warden is doing all he can. 



Mr. Fred Clemens, Lassellsville, Fulton county. The origin of 

 that fire was a peculiar one, and I would be pleased to have the board 

 pass upon it. It was set by school children whom the teacher sent 

 into my woods to gather flowers. A teacher whom the State helps 

 to pay I should consider the first cause ; therefore I believe the State 

 is responsible to a certain extent for the damage done. This person 

 whom the State has sent out as a proper one to manage children has 

 caused me this great damage, and I think the State ought to help 

 me bear the loss. 



Mr. William S. de Camp, Fulton Chain, Herkimer county. I tele- 

 graphed Mr. Emmons and you yesterday under the spur of a raging 

 fire. I addressed myself also to Firewarden Parsons, who replied 

 that he " thought he had done pretty well for me." He gave me 

 the following authority in writing : " In my capacity as firewarden 

 I hereby deputize you to hire and pay men to extinguish the fires." 



*Permission was refused. W. F. F. 



