FIREWARDEN'S REPORT. 49 



year, has been an important factor in inducing greater care among 

 those who frequent the forests. It is also hoped that the results 

 obtained during the summer will aid in a provision for permanent 

 patrol by the North Jersey railroads along the most dangerous 

 sections of their lines. But aside from this the continuation of 

 such work has aroused an interest in fire control throughout the 

 section thnt could have been obtained in no other way. 



RURAL MAIL PATROL. 



Thiough the initial action of the New Jersey Commission, a 

 force of almost 55,000 men has been made available for fire patrol 

 throughout 20 different States. Upon the request of the United 

 States Secretary of Agriculture, in pursuance of a suggestion 

 from the Forest Commission, the Postmaster General issued an 

 order requiring rural mail carriers to serve as forest fire patrol 

 in territory having National or State forest fire protective organiza- 

 tions. This order made available about 300 mailmen in this State 

 and prompt action was taken to insure the greatest measure of co- 

 operation possible between them and the State Fire Service. No 

 organized correlation of these forces has been effected in a move- 

 ment still so new. However, it is felt that active interest by even 

 a few men so situated will materially strengthen the local grip on 

 the fire situation. If general activity is secured, a great gain will 

 have been made at slight expense to the State, no loss to the mail 

 service and small inconvenience to the mailmen themselves. 



LOOK-OUTS AND TELEPHONES. 



Where fire fighters are available, as they are throughout this 

 State, the most important features in a fire protective plan are 

 constant surveillance and ready communication throughout the 

 territory. To secure the former at a reasonable cost a system of 

 look-outs gives- wider v scope and more continuous application than 

 any other method. In tl.i? State good look-out stations are avail- 

 able to command its whole forest area at far less expense than 

 those sucessfully operated in many places. With trained and 

 equipped watchers on a dozen towers properly placed, few fires 

 could start without heimj promptly discovered and accurately 



