96 



COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



Switzerland on the Diesel principle and is being subjected to thorough 

 practical tests." 



consirmption of fuel oil by the railways op the united 

 States, 1906-1911. 



The Oil-Burning Situation in the Adirondacks 



In 1909, upon application of the New York Forest, Fish and Game 

 Commission, the Public Service Commission of that State ordered the 

 railways running through the Forest Preserve to show cause why they 

 should not either use some fuel upon their locomotive engines which 

 would not give out sparks and set fires, or why their motive power should 

 not be changed to some other than steam. 



In its appUcation for an order, the Forest, Fish and Game Com- 

 mission set forth that enormous damage had been caused by forest 

 fires in the Adirondacks, that 90 per cent of the fires in the Forest 

 Preserve were started by sparks from railway locomotives, and that 

 the most diligent inspections of fire-protective appliances on coal- 

 bumilig locomotives, by officers of the Commission, as well as the exer- 

 cise of the utmost care by the railway companies, had failed to prevent 

 the regularly recurrent fires. The prohibition of the use of coal as 

 locomotive fuel during the fire season was urged in this connection. 

 The railway companies affected were the Delaware & Hudson, and the 

 New York Central system, including the New York and Ottawa. 



The following extracts and abstracts are from the formal opinion 

 of the Commission, dated April i, 1909. 



It was shown at the first hearing that the only railroad in the 

 Adirondack region which had been free from fire complaints was the 

 Raquette Lake, about 19 rmles long, running from Clearwater junction 

 to Raquette Lake, which had been in operation for about 10 years, and 

 which burned oil in the summer and coal in the winter. 



*Some of these lines also used coal. 



