FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. 34 1 



the ground and burned the roots of the trees, so that it was hard to control it. It required 

 constant watching. I cleared out a swale to keep it off, which kept it back for ten days- 

 but high winds prevailed and the trees finally fell across the swale, so that it was not extin- 

 guished until September 24th, when we had heavy rains. 



There were some three or four acres burned over, but by watching the fire whenever it 

 came to the surface and trees fell, we kept it under control. The loss on timber will be 

 small, not over $25, I think. About $25 worth of wood was destroyed, and $20 worth of 

 fences. 



Mr. Stephen Waldron, town of Watson, Lewis county, N. Y. : 



June 25, 1899. Number of acres burned, two; standing timber destroyed, $20. This 

 fire was caused by lightning, which struck a pine stub and set it on fire. The accompany- 

 ing rain was not sufficient to extinguish it. It occurred on lot 195, Watson's West 

 Triangle. 



Mr. Emory P. Gale, town of Hopkinton, St. Lawrence county, N. Y. : 

 August 10, 1899. Several fires burning at the same time. The one on section 21 was 

 caused by hunters; the one on the Gale farm was caused by parties playing golf, some one 

 of whom threw away a lighted cigar stub. 



August 15, 1899. Number of acres, twenty; location, Oakham township. The timber 

 on this land was all cut last winter, but the fire destroyed about $20 worth of hardwood, 

 some lumber camps and sleds. Ordered out ten men; number of days worked, forty-eight. 

 Two men were seen making a fire at these camps to cook their tea, and in about twenty 

 minutes the smoke was seen. These men were hunters who were too lawless to put out their 

 camp fire. The Sherman Lumber Company, of Potsdam, who own these camps, obtained 

 the names of the men, with the intention of making an example of them for their careless- 

 ness. Everything was very dry; never known to be so dry before. 



Mr. A. C. Farr, town of DeKalb, St. Lawrence county, N. Y. : 



August 20, 1899. Number of acres, thirty; standing timber destroyed, $150; fences, 

 $35. Called out twenty-one men and two teams; total number of days worked, thirty-two 

 and three-fourths. Caught from locomotive sparks on R., W. & O. railroad. As I under- 

 stand the law, the railroad company is responsible for all damage and also for all expense 

 incurred in fighting fire. We extinguished it by plowing and backfiring, after which we 

 drew water in order to put it out completely. We had it out once, as we thought, but con- 

 siderable fire still remained in the ground. It broke out twice ; but as I had men on the 

 watch it did not do any damage. 



August 24, 1899. Number of acres, 125; standing timber destroyed, $250; fences, $30. 

 Called out twenty-seven men; ninety-four days labor; two and one-half days team work. 

 This fire was started by Matthew Creighton, who was burning brush in order to clear land. 

 Some fire hung in the duff, and I had to keep men watching it from September 4th to Sep- 

 tember 20th, putting on extra men when the wind was high. On September 1st a slight 

 rain fell, but by the 4th it was as dry as ever, and the ground commenced to smoke 

 again. 



