96 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF 



Mr. Fred. Hess, the well-known guide and hotel man of that region, made a 

 written application for the purchase of this fallen timber, offering $600 for the trees 

 as they lay on the ground. There were other applicants, also, some of whom inti- 

 mated that they would pay still more. 



An intelligent forest management would require that this mass of fallen timber, 

 limbs and tops should be removed in order to protect the surrounding woods from 

 the effects of the second burning, which is so apt to occur in a " slash " of this kind 

 after it becomes dry and seasoned. If a fire starts in this mass of down timber at 

 any time after the next season it will burn like a furnace, the extreme heat prevent- 

 ing any one from approaching it and rendering it uncontrollable. 



To decline the offer made for the timber results in a direct loss to the State of 

 just so much money. The flippant remark is sometimes heard that the State does 

 not need the money. Granted, but that fact does not warrant any waste of 

 resources any more than a neglect to collect taxes. If the State does not need the 

 money, the proceeds could be well expended in clearing up the ground to insure 

 safety from further burning and to enable it to properly reforest itself. And this 

 would be done if the land were owned by an individual instead of the State. 



But the forestry clause of the Constitution allows no latitude or liberal construc- 

 tion in interpreting its mandates. It says plainly that no timber on the Forest Pre- 

 serve shall be " sold or removed." Until there is some competent judicial opinion 

 to the contrary it is incumbent on the Department to construe this clause literally 

 and abide by it accordingly. 



This matter is discussed here at some length in order to give some idea of the 

 questions which arise in connection with the care and custody of the Forest 

 Preserve. 



The forest fires in 1898 were not all reported in time for the last preliminary 

 report to the Legislature. Since then the reports of the firewardens have been tab- 

 ulated, from which it appears that in the year 1898 the various burned areas 

 amounted in the aggregate to 9,644 acres, of which 669 acres belonged to the State. 

 The aggregate of losses, as taken from the different reports, were $7,495. As the 

 damage seems small compared with the acreage, it may be well to explain that a 

 large part of these fires occurred on barren, waste lands that have been burned over 

 before, or denuded by other causes. There was no timber, and the ground was 

 covered with only a sparse growth of bushes, shrubs and ferns, with here and there 

 some small poplars or bird cherries. In such places the loss is only a prospective 

 one, it being confined to the prevention of future growth instead of any actual loss 

 of standing- timber. 



