which forest rangers were put in charge; the total num- 

 ber of these districts being fifteen, fifteen men being ap- 

 pointed as forest rangers with a few patrolmen to take 

 care of this empire; the number is insufficient, and I 

 hope that as a result of this meeting, a resolution will 

 be presented and adopted advocating an adequate num- 

 ber of forest rangers and patrolmen to properly patrol 

 the wooded portion of this State, that these rangers be 

 properly superintended and that the responsibility for 

 forest fires be placed upon them, providing adequate 

 penalties in the law governing the leaving unquenched 

 fires in the timber portion of this State, making it a 

 State 's prison offense on the part of any individual and 

 granting triple damages against an individual, com- 

 pany or corporation guilty of causing loss to others by 

 forest fires. 



The loss from forest fires is tremendous; it affects 

 every citizen of the State of Minnesota; it bears in an 

 overwhelming way upon the farmers whose farms are 

 devastated; upon the mines which must have the tim- 

 ber : upon all who pay an increased cost for lumber, and 

 it seems that under these circumstances it is simply 

 business prudence for all the citizens of Minnesota to 

 demand an adequate and permanent system of forest 

 patrol to prevent these constantly recurring devastat- 

 ing fires. The amount of money needed to support this 

 programme is a bagatelle compared with the amount of 

 property lost and is the cheapest kind of insurance in 

 view of the returns to be secured, which are saving of 

 life as well as property by having an adequate force 

 engaged permanently to prevent great forest fires oc- 

 curring. 



