RAILWAY FOREST FIRES 13 



Provision for a force of fire-rangers to be maintained by the railway 

 companies, in accordance with the direction of the Chief Fire Inspec- 

 tor ; (Regs. II and 12) 



Partial relief from the requirements of the Act, in case oil is used as 

 locomotive fuel ; (Reg. 13) 



Reporting and extinguishing of fire by regular railway employees ; 

 (Reg. 14). 



Jurisdiction. — It should be understood that the provisions of the 

 Railway Act and of Order 16570 affect only railways which are sub- 

 ject to the jurisdiction of the Board of Railway Commissioners. These, 

 however, comprise a very large percentage of the total railway mileage 

 of Canada. There are three classes of railways in this category : 



(i) Those chartered by the Dominion Government. 



(2) Provincial chartered lines which by Act of Parliament have 

 been declared works for the general advantage of Canada. 



(3) Provincial chartered lines which have been leased by, and are 

 operated as, a part of a line, or system, which is subject to the jurisdic- 

 tion of the Board imder (i) or (2). 



Of railways owned by the Dominion Government, the Intercolonial 

 is operated by a separate commission and is not subject to the Board. 

 Neither is that portion of the National Transcontinental railway, 

 which is being operated ^ a government line by the National Trans- 

 continental Railway Commission. However, as soon as any portion of 

 the National Transcontinental is turned over to the Grand Trunk Pacific 

 Railway Company for operation, as provided by law, such portion then 

 becomes subject to the jurisdiction of the Board, as a part of the Grand 

 Trunk Pacific Railway system. 



The Temiskaming and Northern Ontario railway is owned and 

 operated by the Ontario Government, and is therefore not subject to 

 the jurisdiction of the Board. 



The British Columbia extension of the Canadian Northern system 

 is incorporated, under Provincial legislation, as the Canadian Northern 

 Pacific railway, and is not subject to the jurisdiction of the Board. 

 The Provincial Forest Act, however, provides amply for such cases in 

 British Columbia. 



Organization of Patrol Work. — Soon after the issuance of Order 

 16570, the writer, who had previously been appointed Forester to 

 the Commission of Conservation, was also appointed Chief Fire In- 

 spector to the Board of Railway Commissioners. This action was 

 taken in pursuance of the plan of co-operation agreed upon between 

 Hon. Mr. Sifton and the late Chief Commissioner Mabee. 



