No. 4.] REPORT OF STATE FORESTER. 519 



caused by locomotives. For the past two years this department, in co- 

 operation with the Pubhc Service Commission, has maintained a system 

 of inspection of spark arresters and ash pans at the different railroad ter- 

 minals in the State, and the inspections made this year certainly show 

 that extra precautions have been taken by the railroad officials to keep 

 their ash pans and screens in perfect condition. While we have found 

 defects, they have been mostly minor ones and have been promptly re- 

 paired. In nearly all instances the railroads have compUed with the law 

 relative to keeping the right of way free from all combustible material, 

 and several miles of lands adjoining the right of way have been thimied 

 out so that where this work has been done there is very little danger of 

 fire making much headway in case it should start. 



The reports show that the percentage of railroad fires has been reduced 

 to 26 per cent, and the loss to $16,000, which is the lowest railroad fire 

 damage of which we have any record. With over 2,000 locomotives in 

 operation we must expect a certain percentage of fires from this source, 

 but the efforts put forth by the railroads show that they can be reduced 

 to a minimum, and I feel that due acknowledgment should be given to 

 Mr. E. A. Ryder of the Boston & Maine, Mr. R. D. Smith of the Boston 

 & Albany, Mr. Chas. B. Rood and Mr. G. W. Wildin of the New York, 

 New Haven & Hartford for their hearty co-operation with this depart- 

 ment. Our reports show that we have had 830 railroad fires, as follows: 

 New York, New Haven & Hartford, 389; Boston & Albany, 128; Boston 

 & Maine, 253; and Central Vermont, 60, burning over a combined area 

 of 4,508 acres, with a damage of $16,649 and a cost to extinguish of $4,884. 



The following information has been received from the Boston & Maine 

 and Boston & Albany railroads relative to fire-prevention work done by 

 them during the past year : — - 



Boston & Maine Railroad, Department of Fire Claims, 

 Boston, Mass., Dec. 21, 1914. 



Mr. M. C. HuTCHiNS, State Fire Warden, Boston, Mass. 



Dear Sir: — In accordance with your request for information regarding the 

 fire-prevention work done by this company during the past season, we beg to 

 submit the following: — 



Although there was a greal deal of snow last winter, which remained up to the 

 middle or last of March, the high winds immediately following its departure made 

 everything extremely dry, and conditions were favorable for fires. In April, May 

 and June it was hot and dry, and there were many fires; in July and August there 

 was considerable rain, and we had reports of only 98 fires on the whole system in 

 July and 45 in August; but September, October and November were generally dry, 

 — in fact, the weather was much like real summer days, and fires were numerous. 

 There was a very noticeable increase in the number of reports of fires as soon as 

 the hunting season opened, and it was most fortunate that His Excellency Governor 

 Walsh was so quick to scent the danger and prompt in taking steps to relieve it. 

 Comparing this season with the very bad season of 1913, they average about the 

 same, although this season the fires supposed to have been set by sparks from loco- 

 motives have not shown as much damage, which we think is accounted for in a 

 large measure by the prompt discovery and fighting of fires. 



