38 ANNUAL REPORT OF 



Walter Peake, chairman, town of Prairie View, Novem- 

 ber 24: 



September 24th a fire on section 33 caused by sparks 

 from a railroad engine burned over 80 acres of prairie and 

 destroyed about 10 tons of hay; damage $25. This was 

 the only fire we have had this year. Dry weather at 

 that time. 



LAWS OF DIFFERENT STATES FOR THE PREVENTION OF 



FOREST FIRES. 



MAINE. 



The law of the State of Maine of March 25, 1891, 

 constituted the Land Commissioner as Forest Commis- 

 sioner, with $200 increase of salary, which amount was 

 doubled in 1903. 



The selectmen are made fire wardens in their towns, 

 the town to be divided into three districts according to 

 roads, streams or lot lines, of which the town clerk shall 

 make a permanent record, and a fire warden is assigned 

 to each district. Their services are to be paid at the 

 same rate as other official service, but no town is to pay 

 for extinguishing forest fires in any one year an amount 

 greater than two per cent upon its valuation for taxation. 

 Those who assist in extinguishing fires are paid by the 

 town, but not exceeding fifteen cents per hour. 



For unorganized places the county commissioners may 

 appoint not exceeding ten fire wardens in any one county, 

 with same power as in towns, to be paid the same rate as 

 in towns, the county to pay one-half of the expense, and 

 the owner of the land on which the fire occurred the 

 other half. 



Any person who builds a camp or cooking fire on or 

 adjoining any woods and fails to extinguish it is liable to 

 a fine not exceeding $100 or imprisonment one month. 



