

GRASS AND WOODLAND FIRES IN TEXAS. 13 



or prairi not his own, he shall be punished by fine not less than fifty 

 nor more than three hundred dollars. 



Offense Complete. When. The offense named in the foregoing article 

 is complete when the person offending sets fire to his own woodland or 

 prairie and the fire communicates to the woodland or prairie of another. 

 (Acts of 1883.) 



The following clauses have been enacted in the years following: 



Firing Grass in Enclosure of Another Penalty. Any person who 

 shall wilfully fire any grass within any enclosure not his own, in this 

 State, with intent to destroy the grass in such pasture, or any part 

 thereof, or any person who shall fire the grass on the outside of any 

 enclosure with intent to destroy the grass in such enclosure, by the 

 communication of eaid fire to the grass within, shall be deemed guilty 

 of a felony, and upon conviction, punished by confinement in the State 

 penitentiary for a term of not less than two nor more than five years. 

 (Acts of 1884.) 



Game, Fish and Oyster Commissioner and Deputies Made Fire Com- 

 missioners; Duties of. The Game, Fish and Oyster Commissioner and 

 his deputies appointed under the provisions of this chapter are hereby 

 made fire commissioners, and it shall be their duty, in addition to their 

 duties provided for in this chapter, to caution sportsmen or other per- 

 sons, while in the woods or marshes or prairies, of the danger from fire, 

 and to extinguish all fires left burning by anyone, to the extent of their 

 power, and to give notice to any and all parties interested, when possible, 

 of fires raging and beyond their control, to the end that same may be 

 controlled and extinguished. (Acts of 1907.) 



State Forester Action Regarding Fires. * * * He shall take 

 such action as may be deemed necessary by said board to prevent and 

 extinguish forest fires, shall enforce all laws pertaining to the protection 

 of forest and woodlands, and prosecute for any violation of such laws. 

 (Acts of 1915.) 



When public sentiment is thoroughly aroused to the real damages 

 resulting from the widespread and unrestricted use of fire carelessness 

 will cease, indifference on the part of individuals will change to active 

 support, and irresponsible persons will be controlled. The ease or 

 difficulty with which fires may be controlled in a given section will 

 depend to a considerable degree upon the attitude of individual land 

 owners. It is absurd to expect fire protection where all or most of the 

 owners do not care whether fires burn over their lands or not and are 

 unwilling to take any initiative themselves toward securing protection. 

 Every farmer and other owner of property in rural sections and every 

 thinking, intelligent citizen in the towns should rally in ^upport of fire 

 control measures. Every newspaper should lend its influence. Teachers 

 in the rural schools should point out to their boys and girls the dam- 

 ages caused by fires and help to bring about the far-reaching influence 

 for good which lies in their power. Public sentiment freely expressed 

 is necessary in order to bring results. Systematic means of handling 

 the fire problem can be brought into action as soon as the general public 



