FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. I 1 5 



a dangerous practice ; hence no distinction was made in this respect. Up to this 

 date Mr. Emmons has obtained judgments in fifty-six cases, and has collected 

 fines to the amount of $1,781.45, not including costs, which in each case were 

 paid by the defendant in addition to the penalty. The fines imposed ranged from 

 twenty dollars to one hundred and seventy-five dollars, and in a few instances, 

 where the defendant refused to pay, he was sent to jail. Several suits are 

 awaiting trial, and other prosecutions will be commenced as soon as the necessary 

 evidence is obtained. This work has kept the Chief Firewarden busy the entire 

 summer. Also, several arrests were made by the town firewardens, which resulted 

 in the conviction of the various defendants and the enforcement of a penalty in 

 each case. 



It may be reasonably expected that this vigorous, wholesale enforcement of 

 the law will tend to decrease largely the number of fires from this source in the 

 future. Anyway, there are fifty-six farmers who will not burn their fallows here- 

 after in the close season, and their neighbors have had a good opportunity this 

 summer to learn what they also may expect in case they violate this section 

 of the law. 



Of the incendiaries arrested, three are now serving terms in State Prison for 

 their offence. In some other prosecutions begun for this crime we were unable to 

 obtain a conviction. Among the different causes reported by the wardens there 

 are many attributed to fishermen, hunters, campers, etc. This may suggest that, as 

 the firewardens knew the source of these fires, some arrests should have been made 

 in connection with them. But these statements of the wardens were based upon 

 their opinion in the matter, and not upon any positive facts or information. 

 While they had every reason to believe that the fire originated as described, 

 they could not obtain evidence of the definite character necessary to secure 

 a conviction of the suspected parties. This will always be the case until we 

 are authorized to employ patrols who can follow and watch fishermen, hunters,, 

 campers and other persons who would be liable to start fires while wandering 

 through the woods. 



The Forestry Law of the State of New York, so far as it relates to extinguish- 

 ing fires, is a good one. It is admirably drawn, is well adapted to the various 

 requirements which it is designed to meet, and it has been perfected by years of 

 experience in its practical working. It has been used as a model by the forestry 

 departments of other States, which have copied it, in the main, making only 

 such modifications as their peculiar conditions or amount of appropriations made 

 necessary. While its various sections enable the Commission to use all proper 

 means for fighting forest fires, it' does not contain sufficient provision for their 



