174 REPORT OF THE No. 3 



plies in case of fire, aid a Chief Ranger in the supervision of the district, and in 

 the more thickly settled areas where many burning permits are issued enable 

 the covering of a large territory by one man. Nine such trucks were purchased 

 this past season, six of these being replacements. It is desirable that more be 

 purchased next season, from the standpoint of economy as well as efficiency. 



In some of the northern districts railway motor cars take the place of the 

 motor trucks, permission being obtained from the railway companies for the 

 operation of the cars over their lines. While not as effective as the automobiles, 

 because of their limited routes of travel, they are almost indispensable espec- 

 ially where the train service is infrequent. Light cars which can be handled 

 by one man are used for inspection work, while for general use a heavier car 

 capable of pulling a loaded trailer is used. All of these cars can carry two men 

 with a pump and 500 feet of hose. A total of nine were purchased during the 

 season, two of these being replacements. 



In outlying districts where there are neither roads nor railways and on large 

 lakes, motor boats are used, the most common type being the lumberman's 

 pointer equipped with a medium duty motor. In some waters these boats are 

 necessary for the transport of men and supplies, while in others they are a 

 means of economy in that the two boatmen can cover a patrol which would take 

 from four to six canoe-men. They are also the safer method of travel on the 

 larger lakes. Four pointers were purchased this past season, one cabin cruiser, 

 and one open cruiser. 



The replacement of condemned tents and canoes requires the purchase 

 annually of a number of both, in addition to those required for new patrols. 

 Spares must also be kept on hand for the use of extra fire-fighters. A total of 

 345 tents were bought during the season, and 120 canoes, the number of tents 

 being exceptional, occasioned by the number required for the large gangs of 

 extra fire-fighters. 



A total of 3,055 pairs of blankets were bought, this large number being due 

 in part to the supply required for the extra men on duty during the bad fire 

 periods, and in part' to the replacement of a large quantity sent to the fire 

 sufferers in the vicinity of Haileybury in the fall of 1922. Most of the blankets 

 purchased during the past season were made up with distinctive markings. 



The major equipment in stock at the close of the fire season for use by the 

 1,200 rangers, consisted of 88 portable fire pumps, 156,500 feet of hose for use 

 with these pumps, 13 automobiles, 27 railway motor cars, 151 railway velocipedes, 

 29 motor boats, 3 motor canoes, 690 ordinary canoes, 31 riding saddles, 4,300 

 pairs of blankets, 957 tents, 2,185 axes, 546 grub and ordinary hoes, and 2,541 

 shovels. 



(7) Locomotive Inspection 



As in previous years two men were employed throughout the season on the 

 inspection of fire protective appliances on locomotives operating on railways 

 under the jurisdiction of the Dominion Board of Railway Commissioners, these 

 men acting under appointments as officers of the Board. 



A total of 41 round-houses and gravel pits were visited periodically, and 

 1,760 locomotive inspections made, covering 866 locomotives. There were in 

 addition, 21 inspections of locomotives operated by lumber companies, bringing 

 the total number of inspections up to 1,781. The table below shows a steady 

 increase in the number of inspections made each season, and a steady decrease 

 since 1918 in the percentage of locomotives found defective; this percentage 

 in 1923 was only 2.5. 



