Conservation Commission 15 



damage, $3,80-2. In the 78 railroad fires in 1913, the average 

 acreage burned was three acres; average damage, $7. Oil-burning 

 locomotives, which were not in use in 1908, were used on about a 

 quarter of the mileage in the fire towns in 1913. The reduction 

 in total area burned, from 368,072 acres in 1908 to 54,796 acres 

 in 1913; from an average area per fire of 608 acres to 79 acres; 

 from a total damage of $802,135 to $51,445; from an average 

 damage per fire of $1,326 to $75; from a total cost to extinguish 

 of $189,661 to $43,203; from an average cost per fire of $313 to 

 $63; from a percentage of protected area burned of four and two- 

 fifths per cent, to seven-tenths of one per cent.; from a cost per 

 acre for protection of two and one-fifth cents to one and two-fifths 

 cents — all this must largely be attributed to the improved methods 

 of preventing and detecting forest fires employed in 1913, but not 

 in use in 1908. 



The mountain observation system is now in use by the United 

 States government, in several of the States, and in Canada. Of 

 the important States, New Jersey alone lacks a full equipment of 

 mountain stations. New Jersey last fall suffered the destruction 

 by fire of 200,000 acres — one tenth of its protected forest area. 



Use of Oil-Burning Locomotives Required 

 In March last, the New York Central and Hudson River Rail- 

 road Company petitioned the Public Service Commission for relief 

 from an order made by that Commission on April 1, 1909, which 

 required the use of oil-burning locomotives on day trains operated 

 during the fire season upon the Adirondack lines. This petition 

 was based upon grounds of economy, the railroad company alleging 

 that to burn oil in its locomotives involved an increased expendi- 

 ture per annum of about $90,000 ; furthermore, it was asserted 

 that an improved type of coal-burning locomotive, perfected since 

 1909, could safely be relied upon to prevent the escape of sparks, 

 coals, and cinders. 



The granting of this application was strongly opposed by the 

 Conservation Commission, with the co-operation of the Association 

 for the Protection of the Adirondacks, the Empire State Forest 

 Products Association, the International Paper Company, and 

 others. It was demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Public 

 Service Commission that in view of the disastrous results of rail- 

 road fires in the past, the public interests involved were too vast 



