324 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF 



Each firewarden is supplied with these printed blanks, and after a forest fire in 

 his town he is expected to forward his report as soon as possible. 



The story of the great fires in 1899 is best told in the remarks attached by the 

 firewardens to their respective reports, which tell plainly of the vast extent of the 

 burned territory, the unusual drought, the alarming frequency of the fires, the 

 methods employed to extinguish them, and the various difficulties under which the 

 men labored. People who have had no experience in fighting forest fires can gain a 

 fair idea of the nature of the work by a careful perusal of the following extracts 

 which have been culled from the reports of the firewardens : 



Mr. E. A. Howes, firewarden for the town of Tompkins, Delaware county, N. Y., 

 reports : 



October 14, 1899. This fire was set by one E. Washburn and one Stephen Walley in 

 brush heaps on their land, from which it escaped into the woods, where it destroyed a 

 large amount of timber. We extinguished it by getting ahead of the flames and backfir- 

 ing. I ordered out twenty-five men. The fires were started in two places by different 

 parties, about one mile apart, on the same day. They burned their brush heaps without 

 giving any notice, or obtaining any permission from the firewarden. There are too many 

 of these kind of people who pay no attention to the rules of the Forest Commission, or to 

 the law. Both men were prosecuted and fined in December, 1899. Stephen Walley paid 

 a fine of $50 and Ernest Washburn paid $40. 



October 16, 1899. Damage to timber estimated at $300. This fire escaped from the 

 lands of E. Niles, who was burning brush heaps on a dry, windy day. He made no 

 attempt to check it. He was arrested and paid a fine of $20. 



Mr. Arza R. Turner, firewarden for the town of Dannemora, Clinton county, 

 N. Y., reports : 



June 20, 1899. This fire was on Township 5, Old Military Tract, and was caused by a 

 man who burned his fallow without notifying me. I ordered out two men only, and we 

 had no difficulty in extinguishing it by clearing away the lands and brush ahead of 

 the flames. It was started by John Agonz. I discovered it soon after it started, and 

 called out two men, Ben. St. Jermain and George Manley. We stopped it before it did 

 any damage. It is very dry here now, and there is much danger if a fire once gets the 

 start. 



June 21, 1899. This fire was caused by some men in the employ of the Chateaugay 

 Ore and Iron Company, who were burning logs, stumps and brush in order to clear up a 

 grove for picnic ground. They had about twenty-five men at work clearing up the land, 

 and guarding against the spread of fire by the use of water and shovels, and raking away 

 the rubbish. The company are clearing up quite a large piece of land for a pleasure 

 resort at the head of Chazy lake. They have plenty of men there, and are now very care- 

 ful not to let the fire spread. I went up there Friday and stayed over until Saturday. I 

 do not think that there is any danger now. 



