FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. 339 



There are a number of others that allow fire to escape from their own lands during 

 this dry time, whose cases have not been settled yet. I shall attend to them in a few days 

 if they do not settle soon. Most of these fires ran over old slashings on which there was 

 very little loss. 



August 16, 1899. Number of acres burned, 125 ; maple trees destroyed to the value of 

 $50. This fire was started by George S. Campeney, and I entered a complaint against him 

 before a justice of the peace in this town. A warrant was issued, and Campeney, having 

 been arrested, was tried by a jury, which acquitted him on the ground of insufficient proof. 

 No one could swear that he saw Campeney set this fire on his own land ; but he did set 

 fire on his place, which spread onto his neighbor's ground along the State road. 



Mr. H. J. Boswell, town of Diana, Lewis county, N. Y. : 



July 1, 1899. Number of acres burned over, 4,250 ; value of standing timber destroyed 

 estimated at $8,500 ; number of men ordered out, 72 ; total number of days labor, 349. I 

 am uncertain as to the exact number of days, as I have not had time to go over the whole 

 town, and in some places I had to leave the district firewardens in charge. Am unable 

 also to report the fires separately, as we were entirely surrounded by them. We thought 

 at one time the whole township would burn, and it certainly would had it not been for the 

 heavy rains commencing September 18th. This was the first rain we had ail summer to 

 amount to anything. 



Mr. Duane Norton, town of Greig, Lewis county, N. Y. : 



April 28, 1899. Number of acres burned over, 4,250 ; value of standing timber 

 destroyed, $3,500. Location, Brantingham tract. Number of men called out, 50 ; total 

 number of days labor, 112^. These fires were started by farmers who were clearing 

 land and allowed them to spread. One of them was Henry Kennedy, on Lot 8, and 

 another was Raymond Snyder, on Lot 26. The most of this land had been burned over 

 in 1896, and hence was not of much value. A large amount of heavy burned timber was 

 lying on the ground, which made it almost impossible to stop the fire in the old burning. 

 The most of our labor was used in preventing it from running on new territory. We suc- 

 ceeded in keeping it from doing very much damage to green timber, as you will see by my 

 estimate. 



August 7, 1899. Number of acres, eighty ; standing timber destroyed, $75 ; total num- 

 ber of days labor in fighting fire, eighteen and three-quarter days. This fire was reported 

 to have been started by John Murtaugh, who was burning brush on his lands and allowed 

 the fire to escape beyond his premises. Several men will swear that Murtaugh is the guilty 

 party. 



There is no use in prosecuting any more men for violation of the fire law and fine them 

 only $25. Make the penalty at least $100. 



Mr. Thomas B. Fowler, town of Lowville, Lewis county, N. Y. : 



August 15, 1899. Number of acres, 950 ; loss in standing timber, $1,900. About 250 

 tons of hay in stacks, valued at $7 per ton, were also destroyed. AVages for men and 

 teams, $88.90. Two miles of fence were destroyed and 80 cords of pulpwood. 



