Forest Fires. 



THE year 1899 will long be remembered by the people of our North Woods as 

 the season when the great fires occurred. The extraordinary, long-continued 

 drought resulted in conditions that facilitated the starting of fires, which, in 

 number and area, far exceeded any that had ever happened in all that region. 



Fortunately, the trees, being in full leaf, no great damage was done to the forests, 

 the greater part of the fires being in clearings and on waste lands that had been 

 burned over once or twice before. Throughout the Adirondack^ there are large 

 areas devoid of timber which are covered with a low, scrubby growth or with ferns 

 and bushes. The most of the fires occurred 

 on lands of this class. At the same time 

 the adjoining woods were endangered, and 

 the progress of the flames had to be stopped 

 in order to prevent the serious loss which 

 would occur if a fire were to gain headway 

 in the heavy timber. 



The fires commenced in Hamilton 

 county on August 6th, and within a few 

 days they started up at various places in 

 every county throughout the Adirondack^. 

 It soon became evident that without some 

 assistance the towns would be unable, in 

 certain districts, to successfully meet the 

 emergency. Hon. Charles H. Babcock, of 

 the Fisheries, Game and Forest Commis- 

 sion, was in the Adirondacks at this time, 

 where he was watching carefully the course 

 of the fires and rendering every assistance 

 in his power to protect the forests from 

 the serious danger which threatened them. 

 On conferring with the Superintendent of 

 Forests, who was also on the ground, it 

 became evident to the Commissioner from 

 20 



