36 Forests and Trees 



given to some of the permanent forest rangers to inspect 

 the engines. All this, however, while it lessens the danger, 

 has not entirely removed it. 



As a further provision, the Railway Act of the Dominion 

 contains the following clause : 



"The company shall at all times maintain and keep its right 

 of way free from dead or dry grass, weeds, and other unnecessary 

 combustible matter." 



The railway company is also made liable for damages aris- 

 ing from fires caused by its engines by the following clause : 



"Whenever damage is caused to crops, lands, fences, planta- 

 tions, or buildings and their contents by a fire started by a rail- 

 way locomotive, the company making use of such locomotive, 

 whether guilty of negligence or not, shall be liable for such 

 damage and may be sued for the recovery of the amount of 

 such damage in any court cf competent jurisdiction ; provided 

 that if it be shown that the company has used modern and 

 efficient appliances and has not otherwise been guilty cf any 

 negligence the total amount cf compensation recoverable in 

 respect of any one or more claims for damage from a fire or fires 

 started by the same locomotive and upon the same occasion 

 shall not exceed five thousand dollars." 



The unguarded camp fire is another peril, but men who 

 live in the woods are usually careful. They know the dan- 

 gers and how to avoid them. It is the novice who leaves 

 his camp in the morning with the fire smouldering and returns 

 to find his belongings in ashes and the hillside in flames. 



Lightning may cause a forest fire but seldom does. A 

 thunder storm is usually accompanied by a drenching 

 rain which lessens the danger. I have seen many forest 



