32 FOREST FIRES IX XORTH CAROLINA. 



practice, aiid that the forestry law contemplates the employment of the 

 best men in the community. It would be a poor policy indeed for any 

 forest warden to attempt such a practice, because there are always a 

 large number of people ready to report any failure in duty of a State 

 employee. It is certain that any forest officer Avho attempted such a 

 thing would get dismissed without delay. On the other hand, should 

 some irresponsible party attempt to practice firing the woods in order to 

 secure employment under the forest warden, the warden would be quick 

 to suspect and discover any such criminal practice. Where such laws are 

 enforced there has been little or no trouble from this source, though the 

 same argument has been advanced against the operation of a like pro- 

 vision of law in nearly every State where it has been tried. 



It has occasionally been urged that it is useless to pay men for fighting 

 fires, because in many communities any number of men could be found 

 in an emergency to fight fires without compensation. It would not only 

 be unfair to the citizens of the community to expect them to carry on 

 this most exhausting work without pay, but it would be exceedingly in- 

 effective and Avould defeat the object of the law. The function of fire 

 protection is to prevent fires rather than to extinguish them. That is, 

 fires should not be allowed to start ; and if they do get started, they must 

 be put out before they become large fires. The first rule for the fire 

 fighter is to get to the fire as soon as possible. A small fire is more easily 

 extinguished and does infinitely less damage than a large fire. N'oav, 

 only the large fire offers sufficient inducement for the average man to 

 leave his regular work and go out and spend half a day or a whole day 

 fighting to stop its advance. A small fire is apt to be neglected in the 

 usually vain hope that it will burn itself out or some one else will extin- 

 guish it. The State cannot afford to risk such haphazard methods. 



ADDITIONAL PROTECTION TO CITY WATER SUPPLIES. 



The State Geological and Economic Survey has consistently advocated 

 the effective protection from fire of the forested watersheds of cities and 

 towns. It has stood and still stands ready at any time to examine such 

 areas with the object of recommending methods for protecting them 

 from forest fires and consequent contamination. 



A number of such examinations have already been made and reports 

 submitted. Two such reports have been published, those for Marion and . 

 Asheville."'" 



Following the suggestions contained in these reports, and especially in 

 a letter written by the State Forester and pul)lislicd in the Asheville 



"Sec Bi.'nnial Kcports of tlif State Geologist. 1>.mi!I-1i 



