FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. 33 1 



looked around and went back without warning out a man to help fight it. I was there 

 when he went by. On the 18th I was on the railroad at the town line of Franklin and 

 St. Armand when the Chateaugay train came down from Saranac Lake. That train 

 started two fires, one within thirty feet of me, and one about thirty rods farther down the 

 track. We put them both out. 



August 17, 1899. I went yesterday and looked over the lots which were burned, and 

 find that there was no timber on the land, nothing but slash and bushes. I have been 

 sick or I should have made this report earlier. Part of the men called out to fight this 

 fire were in the employ of the Chateaugay. Railroad Company. Will they be entitled to 

 pay for their services ? The fire was on their land and set by them. Please let me know 

 about this. 



August 18, 1899. Number of acres, 150 ; damage to timber, $25. Location, Lots 100 

 and 101, Township 10, Old Military Tract ; all slash lands and barrens. This fire was 

 started in a camp of berry pickers, who left their fire burning when they went away. I 

 have tried to find out the names of this party, who were encamped at the Goldsmith place. 

 No one seems to know their names, or where they were from. Will you please inform me 

 how many hours you consider a day's work ? 



Dr. B. E. Fernow, Acting Firewarden, town of Santa Clara, Franklin county, N. 

 Y., reports as follows : 



August 18, 1899. Number of acres burned, 900 ; on Township 23, near Fish Creek 

 ponds. Value of standing timber destroyed, $100 ; but of promising young growth and 

 saplings, $1,000 at least. Number of men called out, 18 at first, up to 100 part of the 

 time. Total number of days labor, 289 days, plus 30 days teaming. Fire was first observed 

 by surveying party on August 15th in a large opening, a sandy flat which had resulted 

 from a series of previous fires. This flat was bordered to the south by a sphagnum bog, 

 usually wet, this season absolutely dry ; and by wooded knolls and slopes in other direc- 

 tions. The fire when discovered was checked and patroled for three days, and on August 

 1 8th, at eleven a. m., it was reported by two experienced woodsmen (patrols) as absolutely 

 out. 



At noon a surveying party passing nearby discovered smoke in the same direction, and 

 repairing to the spot, found a lively fire running in the brakes, which they attempted to 

 put out without success, a strong wind fanning the .fire and driving the party off. An 

 enforced party of eight with spades was sent out at six o'clock and kept the fire in check 

 to some extent, but could not prevent its progress into the sphagnum bog, over which it 

 ran with furious rapidity. At about eight o'clock p. m. the writer arrived at the fire, and, 

 dividing the crew into two watches, utilized the night to beat out the fire along the line, 

 the coolness, absence of wind and dew of the night being most favorable for effective 

 work, so that in the morning the fire seemed to be subdued but for some smoldering spots 

 here and there and burning stumps and falling trees on a hardwood ridge, these forming 

 separate breeding places for fire. In the morning, assistance, which had been sent for, 

 arrived, and besides putting out the smoldering spots here and there, ditching around the 

 hardwood ridge was begun, the sandy ground on the northeast and north being quite 

 favorable for ditching and backfiring ; the wind being southwesterly, this was the most 

 endangered direction. 



