32 Forest Fires and their Prevention. 



needed, but in counties having fifty per cent and over of their area 

 in woodhuid they Avoukl quickly pay for their cost. If only a few coun- 

 ties were given tlie advantage of such a law to stail with, tlie demand 

 for fire wardens would rapidly spread, as their usefulness became appar- 

 ent. The following hill, in a somewhat different form, was introduced 

 into the Legislature of 1911, but failed to pass, chiefly because a special 

 tax of half a cent per acre on all woodlands in the State was asked, to 

 provide levenue for its enforcement. This method of raising the 

 necessary money is perfectly fair and equitable, but until the system 

 can be inaugurated and tested in those counties that most need fire pro- 

 tection, it is thought that a direct ap])ropriation would be much simpler 

 and more i)racticable. 



A Bill to be Entitled An Act tq Ai tiiohizi; tiik Ari'oiNT.MKXT and Pay.mk.nt 

 OF FoRE.sT Wardens. 



The General As.senihli/ of XortJi Varoliiio do enact: 



Section 1. On petition of four or more owners of timlier lands in any one 

 township, owning: in the aggregate five thousand acres or more, or the owners of 

 one-third of tiie forest hind in the township, the comity conunissioners shall 

 appoint, subject to the approval of the Geological Board, a forest warden for that 

 township and as many deputj' forest wardens to act with liim as the Geological 

 Board may deem necessary for the proper enforcement of this act. All forest 

 wardens and deputy forest wardens must be legal residents of tlic counties in 

 which they are employed. 



Sec. 2. Forest wardens and deputy forest wardens sliall have cliaige of meas- 

 ures for controlling forest fires; they shall make arrests for violations of the 

 forest laws: shall post along highways and in other conspicuous places copies of 

 the forest fire laws and warnings against fires which shall be supplied by the 

 Geological Board; and they shall perform s\ich other duties as shall be consid- 

 ered necessary by the (Geological Board for tlie protection of forests. The forest 

 wardens of the township in which a fire occurs shall within ten day^ make such 

 rej)ort thereof to the Geological Board as may be prescribed by tlicm. Each 

 deputy forest warden shall promptly report to wardens any tire in liis district. 



Sec. 3. Any person who shall maliciously or wilfully dcstioy. deface, remove 

 or disfigure any sign, poster or warning notice, postc<] by ordci- of the Geological 

 Board under the provisions of this or other act for tlie purpose of protecting the 

 forests in this State from tiif. shall be guilty of a misdcuicauoi- and upon con- 

 viction shall be puiiisliabje by a line of not less liian t<'n dollars or more tlian 

 fifty dollars or iinprisdiicd not exceeding thirty days. 



Sec. 4. Any poson discovering any forest fire shall imuicdiatety give notice 

 to the nearest forest warden or deputy forest warden in tliat or adjoining town- 

 shi])s. All able-bodied male persons between eighteen and foity-tive years of age 

 can be summoned by forest wardens or deputy forest wardens to assist in e.x- 

 tinguishing forest fires and shall be paid for such services at a rate not to exceed 

 fifteen do) cents per hour. Any person summoned by a forest warden or his 

 deputy and not attending, without reasonable excuse, shall be subject to a fine 

 of five ($5) dollars. 



