FOREST FIRES IX XORTH CAROLINA. 21 



State. He is in close touch with all the forestry work, and especially 

 Avith the forest fire conditions over the State, as no other man can he. 



It has always been the custom for the Governor to appoint the mem- 

 bers of the Geological Board without any special reference to their politi- 

 cal affiliation, but because of their ability and their knowledge of condi- 

 tions with which they have to deal. The State Geologist is likewise 

 api^ointed with the one idea of his fitness for the position, and the em- 

 ployees of the Survey are employed in like manner. The State Geologi- 

 cal and Economic Survey is therefore known as a nonpolitical organiza- 

 tion, and for this reason is especially suited for carrying on work of a 

 technical character, which, as all experts agree, must for its fullest effi- 

 ciency be absolutely divorced from politics. 



LAWS FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE FORESTS FROM FIRE. 



Xorth Carolina is said to have had the first law against setting fire to 

 woods of any State in the Union. Certain it is that in 1777 "at a Gen- 

 eral Assembly, begun and held at IS^ew Bern, on the Eighth Day of April 

 in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy- 

 seven, and in the Eirst Year of the Independence of the said State : Be- 

 ing the first session of this Assembly," Richard Caswell, Esq., being 

 Governor, a law was passed to prevent burning the woods. 



This law, here quoted in full from The State Records of jSTorth Caro- 

 lina, vol. 24, has remained in force up to the present year with the ex- 

 ception of those changes made necessary by the freeing of the slaves and 

 by the passing of the whipping-post. This latter institution might even 

 yet be found an effective method of dealing Avith "vagrant persons." 



THE LAW OF 1777. 

 AN ACT TO PREVENT BURNING THE WOODS. 



I. Whereas the frequent burning of the Woods is found to be destructive 

 to Cattle and Hogs, extremely prejudicial to the Soil, and oftentimes of fatal 

 Consequences to Planters and Farmers, by destroying their Fences and other 

 Improvements : For Prevention of wliich Evils, 



II. Be it Enacted by the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina, 

 and it is hereby Enacted by the Authority of the same. That it shall not be 

 lawful for any Person whatsoever to set Fire to any Woods except it be his 

 own Property, and in that Case it shall not be lawful for him to set Fire to 

 his own Woods, without first giving Notice to all Persons owning Lands adja- 

 cent to such Wood Lands intended to be fired at least Two Days before the 

 time of setting such Woods on Fire, and also taking effectual Care to extin- 

 guish such Fire before it shall reach any vacant or patented Lands, contiguous 

 to or adjacent such Lands so fired. 



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