FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. 99 



the lightning was seen to strike on a side hill, after which fire sprang up immedi- 

 ately on the same spot, where no smoke had been seen before. 



During the drought of last summer the electric storms were accompanied by so 

 little rain that a dry shrub or resinous tree, when struck by lightning, would hold 

 the fire until the shower passed and then burn freely. The reports of the fire- 

 wardens for this last season describe many instances where the cause of the fire is 

 attributed to lightning, and in seven of these cases the proof adduced was convinc- 

 ing. I might cite also a case which several years ago came under my observation, 

 where a dead stub was ignited by lightning striking near the summit of Buck moun- 

 tain at Long Lake. 



When these fires broke out at Indian Lake the town firewarden, who is a guide, 

 was absent with a fishing or camping party, and did not return to take charge of the 

 work. I accordingly authorized Mr. Robert B. Nichols, a resident of the town, to 

 act as firewarden, an arrangement which was subsequently sanctioned by your 

 Board in his permanent appointment. 



Feeling apprehensive of fires elsewhere I went to the Saranac region. On 

 Sunday, August 13th, a brush fire started on Township 21, which adjoins the 

 beautiful tract of State forest on Township 20, the Upper Saranac township. I 

 went to the place and skirted the fire in different directions to ascertain the extent 

 of the danger. Finding no one at work fighting it, I drove to the house of the 

 nearest firewarden, and succeeded in getting him to take charge of it, while in the 

 meantime I telegraphed to Saranac Lake village for men. 



On the following day, August 14th, while crossing Little Green pond, my atten- 

 tion was called to a large, dense cloud of smoke rising in the southeast. The fire 

 seemed to be on Township 20. Going ashore I walked to Saranac Inn, but when I 

 reached there the fire appeared as distant as before I started. Taking a horse and 

 buckboard I drove through the woods on the west side of the Upper Saranac Lake, 

 and then, finding no signs of fire, drove on to Floodwood Pond. On arriving there 

 the fire was still in the distance. I then concluded it must be at Tupper Lake 

 Junction ; and, on returning to Saranac Inn station, ascertained by telegraph that 

 such was the case. This proved to be one of the largest fires of the season, as to 

 area, but there was no loss in timber. The ground burned over was almost entirely 

 waste land and swamp. Yet there, was enough scrub growth on it to make a hot 

 fire in places, and it was only by great exertion that the sawmills and lumber yards 

 at the junction were saved. 



While at Tupper Lake a heavy column of smoke rising in the west showed that 

 an extensive fire was raging on the mountains in that direction. On inquiry, it was 



