344 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF 



about fifteen minutes I noticed a blue smoke rising in the woods near the railroad, and on 

 approaching nearer could see the blaze rising in the dry lands. I immediately employed 

 help — Leonard Mead and John Hanks — and we extinguished it quickly, although it had 

 got started nicely. It burned over only a few rods square. 



August 17, 1899. This fire, which was upon lands of Mr. Cashman, was first observed 

 by me about four o'clock p. m. Going there immediately, I found it was in the woods 

 along the west side of Ballston lake. We found places in these woods where fires had been 

 built by fishermen or campers, and, undoubtedly, this one started from one of them. Sev- 

 eral large pine trees were burned in the ground, and stumps were blazing. We got every- 

 thing secured to prevent it from spreading, after which I hired three men to watch the fire 

 during the night for fear the wind might rise and spread it again. 



Mr. A. C. Hickok, town of Corinth, Saratoga county, N. Y. : 



July 1, 1899. This fire burned over about two acres before it was stopped, destroying 

 standing timber, the value of which is estimated at $20. I think it caught from a locomo- 

 tive on the branch road or switch leading from the Adirondack railroad to the Interna- 

 tional Paper Company's mill. I had two men in attendance all night and the next day. 

 The ground was so very dry that many times we thought we had it out, when the wind 

 would suddenly brisk up and away -would go the fire over our trenches. 



July 27, 1899. Number of acres, fifteen ; damage, $10. In addition, a piece of fence 

 along the road was burned. The fire was started by a locomotive. During this dry spell 

 we have had several small fires. There is a stretch of about two miles along the railroad 

 where nearly all railroad fires in this town occur. There is a grove there with a heavy 

 grade, which causes the locomotives to emit sparks. If the railroad company would keep 

 a man through the dry season to patrol this piece of road after every train, he could easily 

 stop the fires before they reached adjoining lands. 



July 30, 1S99. In fighting this fire, water, in barrels, was drawn by teams nearly a mile; 

 I found that was the only remedy. The ground is so terribly dry that in some places the 

 fire burns down into the earth eighteen or twenty inches. This fire ran over the meadows, 

 as well as the woods, burning hay to the value of $20. 



Mr. E. J. Wilcox, town of Hadley, Saratoga county, N. Y. : 



April 29, 1899. Number of acres, one hundred and twenty-five. Standing timber 

 destroyed, $175 ; fences burned, $150. On this land there was about ten acres of timber, 

 consisting of small maples, through which the fire ran rapidly. Some people think the 

 trees are not killed, but my opinion is that they are dead. The balance of the one hun- 

 dred and twenty-five acres is pasture and meadow land. A large hay barn was saved only 

 by the heroic efforts of the men. 



July 13, 1899. This fire, which burned over about four acres, started in a pasture about 

 one mile from the Hudson river. There were some scrub pines, and a good many old pine 

 stumps in this field. These old pine stumps burned down in the earth to the end of their 

 roots. Owing to the long-continued dry weather the roots held fire for several days. We 

 could not get this fire entirely out until Saturday night, the 15th, when rain came and 

 extinguished it. 



