400 FORESTRY IN NEW ENGLAND 



who has charge of the lire service, which is perhaps the best in 

 New England. 



Fire Service. 



B. — In Maine, since the spring of 1909, the organization for 

 fire protection has been under the control of the forest com- 

 missioner. Under the law, passed by the legislature of 1909, 

 the wild lands (virtually the spruce region) of Maine were 

 formed into an administrative district known as the Maine For- 

 estry District. A tax of one and a half mills on the dollar is 

 levied on all property, in the district, to be used for protection 

 of the forests from fire. This tax has made available the sum of 

 $63,945 for each of the years 1909 and 1910. The unexpended 

 balance of the tax in any year continues available for the pur- 

 poses of the law. The forest commissioner is given control with 

 ample powers. He has divided the district into subdistricts with 

 a chief forest fire warden in each, who in turn may have dep- 

 uty forest fire wardens. The forest commissioner is specifically 

 authorized to construct and maintain lookout stations connected 

 with telephone, to patrol the woodlands, when necessary, and to 

 equip and maintain depots of fire-fighting tools. The chief fire 

 wardens and deputy fire wardens can summon assistance of citi- 

 zens, when necessary, to extinguish fires. The law plainly 

 provides for the development of a comprehensive system of pro- 

 tection. The eighth report of the forest ^commissioner of Maine 

 shows what has been accomplished during the years 1909 and 

 1910. In the field force are listed three hundred and sixty-seven 

 men, thirty-nine as chief wardens, and three hundred and 

 twenty-eight as deputy wardens and patrolmen. Patrol is 

 usually along lines where traffic is passing, --such, for example, 

 as railroad fines and waterways, frequented by river drivers 

 and sportsmen. 



Twenty-four lookout stations are in operation, located on 

 high mountains with the widest possible outlook. Some of 

 these command a view of from 100,000 to 250,000 acres of 

 timberland. 



