1917-18 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS, FORESTS AND MINES. 95 



were hired to take their place in the wood-cutting camp and are continuing 

 the work there. 



I am glad to report there were no forest fires last year. Several were started 

 along the railway, but with the telephone and the railway tank here at all times 

 in readiness, they were gotten under control at once. The cleaning up along 

 the railway also was a great assistance at these times, and no fires were allowed to 

 reach the woods. 



Owing to the fact that our rangers were otherwise employed, not many 

 portages were cut or shelter houses built. One good shelter, however, was put 

 up on the line of the Canadian Northern Railway near Francis Lake. There 

 have not been any serious infringements of the law during the year, so far as 

 the Park is concerned. 



The old Indian, Francis Dufond, at Manitou lake died this fall, and I believe 

 his old wife intends to move out to Mattawa as soon as the ice takes. This will 

 leave the farm vacant, and as it is a rendezvous for the Indian trappers from 

 Mattawa, I thought of stationing a ranger there. There are, as you are aware, a 

 large clearing and several buildings on the farm, which belongs to the Government. 



We have had a great many visitors to the Park, the Highland Inn and other 

 hotels being filled to overflowing, and many had to be refused accommodation. 

 They were mostly health seekers or parties who came for rest, many returned 

 men among them who received genuine benefit from a stay here. AVith the war 

 drawing to a close, we look for a return of our young men and sportsmen next 

 year, who have been deterred from coming in the past on account of it. 



A number of new leases have been granted and all the cottages on the lake 

 were occupied. The boys' and girls' school camps, too, were filled up as usual, 

 many of the parents staying at the Inn. 



The Government did a lot of work on the road from headquarters to Big 

 Island lake, and I trust this will be completed next year. It will be a stretch 

 towards a trunk road through the Park, which will be a great convenience and 

 afford much pleasure to visitors. 



The fishing has been very good and some splendid trophies have been taken 

 out by anglers. I hope some day to see a hatchery established here, not only 

 to keep the Park waters replenished, but to supply the many lakes and rivers 

 in the Province, especially to the east of the Park. A number of hybrids were 

 taken this year, being a cross between the lake trout and the speckled trout, 

 having the forked tail of the former and the red spots of the latter. 



As there is likely to be a good demand for lumber of all kinds in the near 

 future, I would strongly recommend some means being taken to manufacture 

 the splendid hardwoods now mature on the limits acquired from the Munn people. 

 There are vast blocks of the finest hardwood with an abundant growth of young 

 timber coming on, and it would seem a great pity to let all this valuable timber 

 decay and spread disease to the young growth. The woods would be benefited 

 by a careful removing of the matured timber, and a large revenue could be derived 

 from the same. The telephone line has proven a great benefit in many ways, 

 especially in getting quickly to fires, also in the wood cutting operations, etc. 

 It is a pity we cannot have further connection over the Bell line. At present 

 we are confined to Orillia on the south and North Bay on the north. I am 

 sorry to say work in this section, especially in the wood camps, has been very much 

 handicapped by the outbreak of influenza, in some cases completely tying up 

 the operations. 



