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local wardens act under the general supervision of the State 

 Fire Warden and his district deputies. The entire expense of 

 fire fighting is borne by the towns, except in the case of rail- 

 road fires where they can collect from the corporation. The 

 State Fire Warden can, however, compensate certain small 

 towns for fifty per cent, of the value of fire-fighting equipment 

 which they purchase with his approval. Aside from the super- 

 vision of local wardens the efforts of the State fire service are 

 directed towards the prevention and quick detection of 

 fires. The first line of work is carried out by the publishing 

 of the fire laws on posters and by other means, the inspection 

 of spark arresters on locomotives and the clearing of rights 

 of way. The second is secured by a complete system of 

 fire watch towers, now numbering thirty-six, which are con- 

 nected by telephone with the local wardens in their district. 

 Watchmen are maintained in these towers for about six or 

 seven months in the year. 



This Department maintains two fire trucks in the central 

 and western parts of the State for use at fires which have got 

 beyond the control of the local authorities. 



The State Forester, as head of the fire service, deputizes 

 his powers to a State Fire Warden, who has the assistance of 

 fire district wardens and the watchmen mentioned above. 



General Forestry. 



We have left this branch until the last for under it are gath- 

 ered a variety of activities which the other branches with 

 their more definite work do not touch. It is a sort of general 

 utility branch. The work of this branch may be subdivided 

 into five lines, although these lines do not necessarily cover 



