348 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF 



The land burned over was mountain timber, hickory, oak, Norway white pine, poplar and 

 hardwood. The woods were full of pine, poplar and birch tops, which made a hot fire 

 while it lasted. This mountain land is steep and worthless for farming. 



October 16, 1899. Number of acres, 40; timber destroyed, $10; fences, $15. This fire 

 was caused by Charles Reardon, who was boiling potatoes near his house, and the fire 

 escaped from his premises. 



Mr. Miles Frost, town of Thurman, Warren county, N. Y. : 



September 16, 1899. Number of acres, no; standing timber destroyed, $45; location, 

 Lot 10, Range 8, Dartmouth patent. I think this fire was started intentionally. It was on a 

 mountain where the timber was not valuable. I live fifteen miles from where it started, 

 and after driving over very bad roads as far as we could we had to fight it for five miles 

 through the woods. 



Mr. I. E. May, town of Davenport, Delaware county, N. Y. : 



May 7, 1899. Number of acres, 602; timber destroyed, $100; fences and cordwood 

 $25. This was the first fire since I was appointed. It was so dry that when I got on top of 

 the hill at our place the fire traveled in both directions. The only way we could do any- 

 thing to stop it was to backfire during the night. 



Mr. J. A. Hill, town of Kortright, Delaware county, N. Y. : 



April 30, 1899. This fire, which burned over about fifty acres, was started by some 

 bicycle riders, it having been discovered just after they passed the place. I went there, 

 and, finding no warden from the town of Delhi, took charge of the men. By backfiring we 

 stopped its progress. I ask for instructions relative to securing pay for the men who 

 worked so nobly in the heat and smoke. The fire was in the town of Delhi, but it would 

 have been in our town in a very short time. Are not all these men entitled to pay from 

 the town of Delhi ? 



Mr. Francis Bonnefond, town of Hancock, Delaware county, N. Y. : 

 May 8, 1899. Number of acres, 350; standing timber destroyed, $850; cordwood and 

 bark, $60. Now, in regard to the starting of this fire : I held a court of inquiry, in which 

 I found that Mr. David W. Stearns, Sr., and Milton H. Maynard started fires in some log 

 heaps on Monday, May 8th, without giving notice to me. The place where the fire com- 

 menced is at the base of quite a large mountain. Both men claimed that their fires did no 

 damage to the forest or woodlands. I want to know what steps to take in the matter, as 

 they violated section 281 in regard to burning fallows. They both admitted to me that 

 they started brush fires on May 8th without giving any notice to me. I inclose a statement 

 from Mr. Stearns in regard to his fire. 



Mr. Hugh Donahue, town of Olive, Ulster county, N. Y. : 



April 29, 1899. Number of acres, 160; standing timber destroyed, $200. This fire was 

 started in the town of Rochester by people who wanted to burn over the ground so as to 

 increase the crop of huckleberries next year. Quite a number of people here make a 

 living by picking huckleberries. 



