FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. IOQ. 



protecting forest property in the town become burdensome, they are largely 

 responsible for it; and instead of spending their time in useless complaint they 

 can utilize it better in remonstrating with the men who carelessly or wilfully 

 violate the law. 



Whatever the causes of the fires may have been, there was no remissness or 

 inefficiency on the part of the firewardens in attacking them promptly and ener- 

 getically wherever they broke out. Everything was done that human activity 

 and experience could accomplish. I heard some unfavorable criticism at times, 

 but it came from persons who were hanging around hotels, stores or railroad 

 stations — men who refused to work when ordered out, preferring to spend their 

 time in finding fault with those who were at work, and in explaining to each 

 other how the thing should be done. There are 132 town firewardens appointed 

 bv the Commission, each one of whom appoints district firewardens in his town, 

 making 661 in all. In this large number there undoubtedly are some who are 

 not as competent, or as well adapted to the work, as could be desired. But so 

 far as I can learn each one of them did the best he could. 



As the fires increased in number it became difficult to get men enough to 

 fight them. The railroad companies brought in large gangs of laborers from 

 outside the woods to work along their lines, but that did not relieve the situation 

 at other places. A great many who had turned out willingly and fought fire at 

 the start abandoned the work after a while, explaining that they could not afford 

 to labor any longer and wait on the town nine months for their pay. I then 

 made an arrangement with some of the lumber companies, whose lands were in 

 danger, to send in all the men they could spare from their jobs and to advance 

 the cash needed to pay them promptly, the companies to wait for reimbursement 

 until the towns could settle the account. Under this agreement a large number 

 of experienced woodsmen were set to work. 



But this did not help materially in protecting the great areas of State forest 

 in which there was no resident population, and in which no one had any individual 

 interest. Everywhere, with few exceptions, men refused to fight fire on State 

 land if they had to depend on the town for their money. In this emergency I 

 applied to Governor Odell, who promptly requested the Comptroller to place 

 $15,000 at the disposal of the Commission. With this fund available we were 

 able, whenever a fire broke out in the Preserve, to quickly hire a gang of selected 

 men and set them to work. Of the total burned area in the Adirondack and Catskill 

 forests only twelve per cent was State land, this low percentage and immunity 

 from extensive loss being; due largelv to the assistance rendered bv the Governor. 



