112 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



have been mentioned to me of fires being set by so-called "flare backs" 

 and also by the throwing out of the kind of cinders which you mention 

 in your letter. Fires set from such causes, however, are extremely 

 rare, so much so that they are practically negligible. About all it 

 amounts to is that oil burning locomotives cannot be considered ab- 

 solutely safe. In other words, I believe, oil burning locomotives are 

 just about as safe as a locomotive can be made. I cannot give any 

 specific instances of fires being set from the operation of oil burning 

 locomotives, and can only say that, in talking with supervisors and 

 rangers of forests through which logging trains or common carriers 

 using oil burning locomotives operate, they have told me that fires 

 have been set which undoubtedly were caused by the escape of cinders 

 or flame from the locomotive. 



As regards the abolishment of special patrols on railways using 

 on, I believe, as I said in my letter of January 2nd, that a railway 

 is always a source of fire danger and should be provided with some kind 

 of patrol. Dtiring ordinary weather the section crews, bridge watch- 

 men and engineers on trains would undoubtedly be sufficient to handle 

 the situation, but during July and August and sometimes for a week 

 or two in the spring special patrol is, in my opinion, necessary. 



Richelieu & Ontario Lines. — We are using oil as fuel on the two 

 steamers running in the rapids service between Montreal and Prescott. 

 These two steamers, "Rapids Prince" and "Rapids Queen" develop 

 1,000 i.h.p. each. 



The oil fuel has been a complete success from a steaming stand- 

 point, but the cost of oil last season, considering the two as fuel only 

 (coal versus oH), was about 20 per cent more than coal. 



This was more than compensated for by the steamers increased 

 speed and freedom from firemen troubles, (that is keeping firemen while 

 burning coal), a steamer which carried six firemen burning coal, carried 

 two firemen burning oil. 



We expect the price of oil will be considerably higher this season. 

 Coal is also advancing in price. 



General Manager, Cleveland-Sarnia Saw Mills Company, Sarnia, 

 Ontario. — We have used fuel oil for ovu locomotives, which we operate 

 on our railway above North Bay, for several years, but only use the oil 

 during the summer months when the fire hazard is the greatest, starting 

 in about the middle of May and continuing until about the ist of Octo- 

 ber, depending upon the weather conditions. 



We use the oil entirely as a fire protection, and of course find it 

 very effective. 



