372 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



by said railroad company in Barnstable County, and will make an order requiring 

 said railroad company to forthwith so equip its engines for use in said county with 

 oil-burning devices, and operate only such engines in said county. 



In response to the above petition the following order was issued: — 



It is 



Ordered, That a copy of this petition be sent to the New York, New Haven & 

 Hartford Railroad Company with the request that it make report as to the feasi- 

 bility of substituting oil for coal, particularly in the Cape district; also as to the 

 comparative cost of the two methods of supplying fuel for the engines, including 

 also consideration of economics by reason of saving in damage claims for forest 

 fires set. 



It is further 



Ordered, That the petition stand for public hearing on Sept. 22, 1913, at 10.30 

 o'clock in the forenoon, to be duly advertised. 



Attest: 



(Signed) Allan Brooks, 



Assistant Secretary. 



The State Forester's department was represented at this hearing by 

 Deputy Attorney-General Henry M. Hutchings, acting attorney for this 

 department. Nearly 100 residents and property owners residing in Barn- 

 stable County were in attendance, including the Hon. Thos. C. Thatcher, 

 who made the trip from Washington especially to be heard on this matter, 

 Wm. C. Adams, representing the Fish and Game Commission, Chas. C. 

 Craig, representing boards of trade of Falmouth and Cape Cod, delegates 

 from many granges, and members of the boards of selectmen of every 

 town in Barnstable County. A whole day was devoted to the discussion, 

 at the conclusion of which the chairman of the Public Service Commission 

 stated publicly that it had been proven to the satisfaction of the commis- 

 sion that the forest-fire situation along the railroad was critical. At the 

 conclusion of the hearing a statement was filed with the railroad requiring 

 certain information relative to the present operating expenses of the road 

 within Barnstable County. Upon receipt of this information a second 

 hearing is to be called at which expert testimony will be introduced show- 

 ing the approximate cost of burning oil as compared with the present 

 expense of operation. 



Rural Mail Carriers. 

 The results obtained from the co-operation with the 300 rural mail 

 carriers within the State were not as satisfactory as we had expected, 

 this being undoubtedly due to the fact that this department is not in 

 direct touch with the carriers, all instructions from this ofTice being sub- 

 mitted to the postmasters. During the last of the season we deviated 

 somewhat from this plan and requested our district wardens to personally 

 call on the carriers, whenever an opportunity presented itself, and interest 

 them in this line of work. These interviews have already shown results, 

 and I feel that when we are able to get in touch with all the carriers greatly 

 improved results will be shown. Our reports from the postmasters show 



