RAILWAY FOREST FIRES 25 



ground should organize his men to do the best work possible ; 

 and, when this is done, he should immediately proceed to investi- 

 gate the orgin of the fire, and fix the location where it started ; 

 get statements from all witnesses, and make every eflEort to learn 

 the origin and fix the responsibility. The law, as now interpreted, 

 practically makes this Company responsible for fires starting 

 within three hundred feet of the track, unless it can be shown that 

 the Company is not responsible. It is necessary, therefore, to 

 determine positively the origin, in order to relieve the Railway 

 Company of the responsibiHty. The first oflScer on the grovmd 

 should endeavor to hold a joint investigation with the local Fire 

 Inspector of the Railway Commission, or other local forestry 

 officer, and agree upon the origin of the fiire. This will avoid dis- 

 putes later on. 



To Chief Dispatchers : 



In all cases where fires are reported, it wiU be the duty of the 

 Dispatcher to get full information as to the extent of such fire, 

 its location, and the number of men necessary to fight it. It will 

 also be the duty of the Dispatcher to furnish whatever train service 

 may be required to move extra gangs, section gangs, or bridge 

 crews, to the fire immediately, giving this movement preference 

 if the emergency requires it. 



To Sectionmen, Extra Gangs, and Bridge Foremen : 



In all cases where fire occurs, it shall be the duty of aU section 

 crews, extra gangs, and bridge crews to proceed immediately to 

 such fires, and extinguish same, rema inin g as long as may be neces- 

 sary to do this ; and it must be understood that this is the most 

 important work that can be done, and that the carrying on of your 

 work, though it may be important, must be set aside until the fire 

 is extinguished. The Section Foreman on whose section the fire 

 occurs, shall, in the absence of an official of the Company, make a 

 thorough investigation regarding the origin of the fire, and submit 

 a full report to the Roadmaster. 



Between April ist and November ist, no ties, cuttings, debris, 

 or litter upon or near the right-of-way sha.11 be burned, except imder 

 such supervision as will prevent such fire from spreading beyond 

 the strip being cleared. Officers of the Railway Commission may 

 require that no such burning be done along specified portions of 

 the line, except with the written permission or under the direction 

 of such officer. 



Reg. 17, Order 16570 — -Penalty : 



"If any employee or other person included in the said regula- 

 tions, fails or neglects to obey the same, or any of them, he shall, 

 in addition to any other Uability which he may have incurred, be 

 subject to a penalty of twenty-five dollars for every such offence." 



Clearing Rights-of-Way 

 Much was accomplished during the season in securing a better 

 comphance with the requirement of Section 297 of the Railway Act, 

 requiring rights-of-way to be kept free from inflammable material. The 



