forest, fish and game commission. 113 



The area burned over, as reported by each firewarden, was carefully proved or 

 corrected by referring to the recorded acreage of each lot mentioned in his report. 

 At the same time no deduction was made for the fact that on many lots the fire 

 ran across in streaks, a part or parts of the tract thus escaping damage. For this 

 reason the area reported exceeds somewhat the actual acreage damaged. 



In estimating the value of the standing timber destroyed the firewardens were 

 cautioned against placing it any higher than the market price per acre at which 

 these lands had been selling. The percentage of virgin forest was small. By far 

 the greater part of the timber burned was on what are known as lumbered lands, 

 such as the State had been buying for one dollar and fifty cents per acre, but 

 which, through the recent rise in value of this class of property, are now worth 

 from two dollars to three dollar per acre. Some lands of this class, situated near 

 a railroad, or otherwise accessible, are worth more. 



The firewardens were also directed, in making their estimates, to deduct the 

 value of standing timber that was killed, but which was still available if cut 

 within a year or so, for timber, pulp-wood or cordwood. A large proportion 

 of the timber included in the reports was damaged by what are known as 

 ground or surface fires, which killed the trees without consuming any part of 

 them. Where this damage occurred on private lands the owners have been busy 

 all this season in cutting their dead trees, leaving their live timber for future 

 operations. Consequently this large amount of salvage has reduced the estimate 

 of loss materially. 



But on the State lands the standing timber killed by the fire, though still in 

 marketable condition, will result in a complete loss, as the Attorney-General 

 has rendered an opinion that, owing to the restrictions in the forestry clause 

 of the Constitution, this material cannot be cut or removed. This state of 

 affairs is also unfortunate, because these areas of dry, dead timber and slash are 

 very liable to take fire again and burn with uncontrollable fierceness. 



The loss in buildings, fences, etc., includes the large hotel south of North 

 Elba, known as the Adirondack Lodge; the Loomis Camp, on Little Tupper Lake; 

 several miles of wire fence on Nehasane Park, and several barns or outbuildings 

 at various places. 



The loss in logs, pulp-wood, etc., includes the large amount of acid wood 

 that was cut and piled on the lands of the Brooklyn Cooperage Company; several 

 thousand cords of pulp-wood and cordwood, belonging to the Chateaugay Iron 

 and Ore Company, piled at Plumadore Station, Franklin County; numerous skid- 

 ways of logs left in the woods last winter through lack of snow, and piles of 

 cordwood in forests near villages or shipping points. 



