340 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF 



to timber when I reported this fire the first time, because I could not tell then how much of the 

 timber was killed. Some of the trees are still living where it burned over the ground. I think 

 the damage would be about $10. 



Mr. E. C. Wiley, town of Ticonderoga, Essex county, N. Y. : 



April 14, 1898. Number of acres burned over, one hundred. Value of standing timber 

 destroyed, estimated at $200; no State land. The cause of fire, burning fallow. I employed 

 B. B. Tillotson with team to carry men to the place, as it was spreading rapidly. His charges 

 were $3. There were several cords of firewood piled on the lands that were burned over, but 

 this wood was saved. 



In a letter written several months after, Mr. Wiley says in relation to the fire 

 of July 14: 



In making my report I left the item of damages blank, because it was impossible at that time 

 to tell whether the fire had killed the trees. I would estimate the loss at $50. The damage at 

 Ferron Mountain, Ellice Tract, was little or nothing, as the fire was stopped just in time to save 

 a great loss in timber. 



Mr. R. S. Gile, district firewarden, town of Altamont, Frankiin county, N. Y. : 

 September 18, 1898. Number of acres burned, one and one half; no State land. Cause of 

 fire, either by sparks from a steamboat, or it was started by some unknown person; it was 

 extinguished by carrying water in buckets. This fire was on the east end of Big Simon's Pond. 

 The men called out were camping on the west shore, and no bill is presented for their labor. 



October 6, 1898. This fire was set by a camping party; names unknown. It was a slow 

 fire on second-growth land along the north bank of Raquette River, about one mile from the 

 village of Tupper Lake, on the road to Moody P. O. It was a very stubborn fire to extinguish, 

 owing to the dry leaves and duff. As I live within a short distance of the place, I got it under 

 control without any help, except B. R. Byron and his men. 



Mr. Henry R. Paye, town of Franklin, county of Franklin, N. Y. : 



April 10, 1898. Number of acres burned over, fifteen, Lots 313 and 328, Township 10, 

 Old Military Tract ; value of standing timber destroyed, estimated at $25; second-growth poplar 

 and pine. This fire was started April 10 in the afternoon. It was reported to me and I went to 

 see about it that night. Then I went again the next morning and finished the work of 

 extinguishing it. I stayed there until afternoon, but no more fire started up. Three men state 

 that they saw these fires start up in three different places along a path that crosses these lots; . 

 and then they saw Daniel Doty come out from where these fires started. 



April 13, 1898. Cause of fire not known; started on Lot 231, Township 10, Old Military 

 Tract, on ground occupied by Louis Rumbard, but belonging to the State. No standing timber 

 was destroyed, the ground being covered by an old slash grown up with small cherries and 

 bushes. It started in the afternoon in Rumbard's meadow at a heap of roots around a stump. 

 I think some of Rumbard's family could tell how if they would ; but they deny knowing any- 

 thing about how the fire got there. I went into the notch of the mountain the next morning 

 and finished putting out the fire, which had mostly stopped in the night, except where it was 

 smouldering in some old stumps and logs, which I extinguished with water. 



April 16, 1898. Cause unknown; but all the said fires were near railroads. As they were 

 some ways off, I ordered out a team to carry the men there and bring them back. 



