of this committee in Duluth on March 14th. There was a 

 very encouraging response. Thirteen railroad men were 

 present representing nearly all the roads in Northern Min- 

 nesota. 



Mr. W. H. Gemmel of the Minnesota and Internation was 

 elected temporary chairman. When the meeting was called 

 to order, the chairman asked Mr. Cox to outline the points 

 which he considered that the meeting should take up. Mr. 

 Cox briefly summarized the discussions of the Brainerd meet- 

 ing and suggested that they take up the three questions of 

 spark arresters, fire patrol and fire lines. 



The discussion of the first question showed that some pro- 

 gress had been made since the Brainerd meeting for prac- 

 tically all the roads were ready to admit that at least some 

 fires were started by sparks from the stack and that some 

 device was necessary to stop them. The question was not 

 followed very far on account of its technical character and 

 because it was something in which there was no chance for 

 uniformity. Many of the roads have devices of their own 

 which they desire to use and there is no reason why they 

 should not do it if the purpose is accomplished. There is no 

 necessity for having the spark arresters all alike. Efficiency 

 is the only test. 



The only definite action taken was a motion from Mr. 

 Potter that the Forester appoint a man to inspect the engines 

 in the shops occasionally to see that the inspectors of the 

 company are doing their work. This was agreed to by all 

 the roads, and they further agreed to back up the findings of 

 the state inspector. 



The question of patrol was then taken up. Mr. Cox 

 sketched the work that had been done last summer. All the 

 roads had maintained a patrol of some kind: men on speeders, 

 men on foot, men under the direction of state rangers, and 

 men under the direction of the roadmasters, each road using 

 the method which seemed best suited to its particular organ- 

 ization and traffic conditions. The roads which ran but one 

 train a day would necessarily need a speeder to patrol after 

 that train, while on an ore road, with a train every twenty 

 minutes, the use of a speeder would be next to impossible. 



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