98 Third Annual Report of the 



tion stations, traveling expenses of the district rangers and rail- 

 road fire inspectors, also the establishment of new stations. For 

 these purposes $16,760 should be apportioned, making an entire 

 appropriation of $125,000 for fire protective purposes. 



A separate fund of $25,000 should be available for the extra- 

 ordinary expense incurred in extinguishing fires. The Governor 

 should be given authority to authorize the Comptroller to pay 

 additional sums for such extraordinary expense in case of emer- 

 gency as existed during the past jseason. This sum will be but 

 slightly in excess of what has been appropriated for fire protec- 

 tion. The budget which was prepared this year was made on the 

 above lines, but the expense of fighting fire approximated $45,000, 

 nearly one-half of our appropriation, and, it was necessary to 

 lay off the entire ranger force November 1st. 



The necessity of an all year force has already been pointed out, 

 but additional difficulties are encountered in that it is impossible 

 to secure the quality of men which Ave need for $60 per month 

 during a short period each year. Therefore, in order to have a 

 force of efficiency, which we require, it is necessary that a portion 

 of it be employed during the entire year. 



The provision of law that railroads properly clear their rights 

 of way has been enforced, and the companies have complied with 

 our requirements. In a similar manner the debris upon the high- 

 ways has been removed, thereby reducing the fire danger. There 

 are, however, many instances in which there are quantities of 

 slash and other inflammable material immediately adjacent to rail- 

 road rights of way or highways, which have not been removed, and 

 which at the present time we have no authority to require the 

 owners to dispose of. The commission should be given discre- 

 tionary power to compel the owners of such premises, who are so 

 negligent as to leave fire traps of this character, to properly dispose 

 of the debris. It would not act as a hardship upon the person, 

 because whatever efforts he expended would be a protection to 

 his own proper t}'. 



During the past few years some of the softwood operators, who 

 are lumbering spruce, have introduced a method of bark peeling 

 in the woods. This leaves a large quantity of fine spruce bark 

 chips in the woods which soon become dry and decay very slowly ; 



