550 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



the duty of the district forest wardens to supervise the work of fire pro- 

 tection within their respective districts. They have charge of the obser- 

 vation stations within their districts, receive reports from the observers 

 each week, and are at all times subject to the call of each observer to 

 attend any disastrous fire. They shall visit all towns within their districts, 

 instructing the town forest wardens and deputy forest wardens relative to 

 their duties, making such recommendations as in their judgment will 

 improve the service. They shall inspect all forest fire-fighting apparatus, 

 seeing that the same is in perfect condition and in readiness for an imme- 

 diate response to an alarm of fire. They shall visit the selectmen of the 

 different towns, advising them as to the necessity of properly providing 

 their towns with forest fire-fighting apparatus. They shall report the 

 number of each locomotive operating in their district not properly equipped 

 with spark arrester, as required by law, and whose ash pan and grate are 

 not sufficientlj'' protected from setting fires. They shall submit to tliis 

 office a weekly report showing the work accomphshed by them each day, 

 and shall report to this office any inefficiency or neglect of any observation 

 man, forest warden or deputy. 



The surface of the State of Massachusetts is of a rolling nature and 

 particularly well adapted for fire lookout stations, by utiUzing its higher 

 hills and mountains. During the past three years 26 of these stations 

 have been in operation throughout the State. At first improvised towers 

 were used, but now substantial ones of steel construction ranging in size 

 from 40 feet high, which is the standard, to 75 feet. The accompanying 

 map indicates their distribution over the State. 



The position of obserA^er on the lookout station is the most important 

 position under our present forest fire system. The future preservation of 

 the forests of the State of Massachusetts depends largely on the men in. 

 charge of these stations. If they are alive to the situation, and appreciate 

 the importance of the position they hold, disastrous fires witliin this 

 State will be eliminated. 



Each observer has under his supervision over 400,000 acres of land, a 

 large percentage of which is valuable forest land. He is equipped with a 

 field glass and the best map that can be obtained, and has the names and 

 telephone numbers of every town forest warden and deputy forest 

 warden within his territory. There has also been placed in each station 

 a tim-e-clock, to be punched every half hour, showing the exact time the 

 observer is at his station, and the daily slips are to be forwarded, with the 

 weekly report, to the State Fire Warden at the end of each week. The 

 clock system affords a protection not orJy to the State, but to the man in 

 charge of the observation station as well. Each observation man is di- 

 rectly under the supervision of the district forest warden, and shall for- 

 ward him a copy of his weekly report. He must beconae thoroughly famil- 

 iar with the territory under liis supervision, stud\ing the map and country 

 carefully, becoming familiar witli the names of the different mountains, 

 hills, streams, ponds, roads, trails, railroads and trolley lines. He should 

 know the local names which prevail in the region, the settlements where 



