346 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF 



Mr. Clayton Ormsby, town of Horicon, Warren county, N. Y. : 

 August 6, 1899. Number of acres, six hundred ; standing timber destroyed, $500 ; one 

 barn and twenty tons of hay were also burned. Ordered out thirty-one men ; total number 

 of days worked, one hundred and fifty-one. A gang of men by day and another gang 

 by night, varying in number according to the activity of the fire, confined it to the east 

 side of Lily Pond brook by clearing away refuse and carrying water. The brook was dry 

 except in a few isolated spots. We also dug trenches and backfired. 



It was first observed August 6th when it was supposed to be nothing but a brush fire 

 near Grassville. It seemed to die out; but on August 16th it suddenly developed widely 

 into a strong and almost uncontrollable fire. We then had no firewarden in the town of 

 Horicon. Mr. Richard P. Smith, justice of the peace, authorized Abel Crook, Esq., and 

 some cottage residents at Brant lake to organize a force to fight this fire. I took charge of 

 the men and Mr. Crook advanced $302 to pay them. All the property fronting on Brant 

 lake to the value of many thousands of dollars was saved. 



Mr. "William Merrill, town of Johnsburgh, Warren county, N. Y. : 



April 28, 1899. Number of acres burned, ten; value of standing timber destroyed, esti- 

 mated as nothing. This fire was set by Taylor Ross to burn the old grass off from his 

 beaver meadow. The grass was not cut last year, and so it made a hot fire ; but it did not 

 travel beyond Ross' farm. When I asked Ross' hired man who set the fire he told me 

 readily that he and Ross did it. They carried the idea that they had the right to start fires 

 if they kept them on their own land. I explained the law to them and left a fire notice 

 with them. 



May 5, 1899. Henry Morehouse set fire to some log heaps in a potato field, burning 

 over a half acre. This old man did not know it was against the law to set fires on his own 

 land during the close season; but he promised that he would not light any more. 



May 9, 1899. A small fire ran over three acres on lot 25, township n. I will subpoena 

 witnesses to find out the cause and will send affidavits immediately to the Forest 

 Commission. 



May 12, 1899. Fire ran over five acres, doing no damage to timber, but destroyed $5 

 worth of fence. On the night of the nth a tramp came to Jason Mead's house and wanted 

 to stay all night, but was refused lodging. Then he wanted to sleep in the barn or on the 

 piazza, but was refused. He then said he would have to sleep in the woods. Mead's folks 

 saw a little fire, but in the morning it had gone out apparently. Afterwards it started up 

 again. I have no doubt but these are the facts, as Mr. Mead and his wife and the hired 

 man tell the same story. 



May 31, 1899. Small fire on land owned by Joe Dalaba. Seeing the smoke I immedi- 

 ately went there and found Dalaba and his son setting fire to some brush heaps. I asked 

 them if they did not know it was against the law to start fires at this time of the year. 

 Said they did not. I told them that there was a fire notice on the school house door and 

 that I knew they were not ignorant of the law. 



June 20, 1899. This fire was on the Siamese ponds and was started by some fishermen 

 who made an insect smudge. I put it out before any damage was done. 



June 27, 1899. This fire was set by a fishing party from Maxim's hotel, but I have no 

 proof of it. Smudges were made several places along the brook. This fire burned over 



