16 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



ened through the requirement, in regulation 14, that all regular 

 employees of the company, either on train or track work, be charged 

 with the duty of reporting and extinguishing any fires found bviming 

 within 300 feet of the track. 



On those portions of the Great Northern and Canadian Pacific 

 systems where the use of crude oil as locomotive fuel was in exclus- 

 ive effect, a special patrol force was not required, the matter of fire- 

 protection being left to the section men and other regular employees of 

 the companies. The use of oil as fuel was in effect on the Great North- 

 em, on its Cascade Division in British Columbia, from Vancouver 

 to Blaine and to Sumas and Port Guichon, a total of 115 nules. On 

 the main line of the Canadian Pacific in British Columbia, oH-btumers 

 were installed during the summer between Kamloops and Revelstoke, 

 including branches, and on about half the locomotives between Revel- 

 stoke and Field, — a total distance, with branches, of approximately 

 338 miles. Oil-burners have also been installed on the 134 mUes of 

 the Esquimalt & Nanaimo railway, on Vancouver island. The use 

 of oil has eliminated the greater portion of the railway fire danger on 

 those portions of the lines. 



In order to provide an efficient administration, and at the same 

 time handle the work at a minimum of cost to the companies, each 

 local officer of the Board was given authority to modify the require- 

 ments of the Chief Fire Inspector, to fit the local requirements of the 

 time and place. Especial care was enjoined in relieving the companies 

 of the necessity for special patrol when conditions were safe. As a result 

 of the very wet season it was possible to very greatly decrease in this 

 way the requirements which it had seemed earlier in the season would 

 be necessary. The placing of full authority in the hands of competent 

 local representatives is distinctly to the advantage of the railway com- 

 panies, since in this way requirements are made to conform closely 

 to local needs, so that only such measures need be taken as are essential 

 to efficient protection. This proceedure is also to the best advantage 

 of the public, since provision is made for quickly increasing the intensity 

 of protective measures whenever fire conditions are unusually serious. 



Letters specifying patrols were written the Canadian Pacific (West- 

 em Lines), Canadian Northern, Grand Trunk Pacific, Great Northern, 

 Esquimalt and Nanaimo, and Victoria and Sidney Railway companies. 



In order to show fuUy the general features of the policy adopted, 

 the following draft of letter is quoted in full. This draft was prepared 

 after full conference with the railway officials, for transmittal to the 

 Canadian Pacific railway (Western Lines) to cover fire patrol require- 

 ments on that railway west of Fort William during the ensmng 



