EEPQKT FOR 1912 AND 1913 19 



to $4,163.20, which latter sum includes the construction of an 

 observation tower, telephone lines, etc. This' means that the cost of 

 fire protection has amounted to $.0007 per acre in 1912 and $.002 in 

 1913 for all the woodlands of the State. Our fire protection system 

 is less effective than it should be for several reasons: The lack of 

 support of the public generally in forest fire protection ; the difficulty 

 in getting suitable men for forest wardens in every community ; and 

 the delays in paying the wardens. 



.An amendment has been proposed to the present law, which if 

 adopted will increase the number of forest wardens that may be 

 appointed, and thereby greatly increase the efficiency of the system. 

 Public sentiment in favor of fire protection has increased very much 

 in the last few years, since the present system of fire protection was 

 inaugurated, and it is believed that the present campaign of education 

 along this line, which has been carried into every county of the State, 

 will go a long way toward removing the difficulties that have been 

 standing in the way. The law requires that each account for 

 expenses for fighting fires shall be paid by the County Commissioners 

 of the county in which the expense was incurred, after such accounts 

 are approved by the State Forester. In some of the counties ther6 

 has often been a delay of several months or even a year in paying 

 these accounts, which has made it increasingly difficult to secure men 

 for service in extinguishing fires. It is the hardest kind of work and 

 the pay is small, so that in order to make it possible for the forest 

 warden to secure help when it is much needed it is necessary that 

 these men should be paid with reasonable promptness. There has 

 been during the past two years a better co-operation on the part of 

 the County Commissioners in this respect, and it is hoped that as the 

 fire protection system is extended and proves its effectiveness in 

 reducing the fire damage it will receive better recognition on the 

 part of those who should be most directly concerned. 



