34 REPORT OF THE 



Burning garbage, -------... j 



Fireworks, July 4th, ------... j 



Burning house, ------.... j 



Unknown, 



o 



127 



Of the 127 fires here reported it should be noted that forty-seven of them did no 

 damage, most of them having been extinguished before they gained any headway. 



The firewardens, for the most part, rendered prompt and efficient service when- 

 ever a fire was observed or reported to them. In some instances they instituted 

 prosecutions for violations of the Fire Law, in which the guilty parties were 

 convicted and fined. 



If there were more prosecutions for this offense there would be less fires. But it 

 is difficult to get evidence in these cases ; and the firewardens dislike to incur the 

 enmity of their neighbors by arresting them for carelessness in the use of fire, or by 

 furnishing evidence when the prosecution is instituted by some State official. But 

 if there were some pecuniary inducement the firewardens would probably feel more 

 free to commence proceedings against guilty parties. In view of this I would 

 respectfully suggest that it might be well to amend the law so that the firewardens 

 shall be authorized to bring actions before a justice of the peace for any infringe- 

 ment of the law relating to forest or fallow fires, and that the entire penalty shall go 

 to the firewarden. As these officials receive no salary, nor any pay aside from the 

 days' wages paid them for their time while actually engaged in fighting fire, such a 

 provision would enable them to receive some compensation for their services 

 without increasing the expenses of the town. Furthermore, each prosecution 

 would tend strongly to the prevention of carelessness or wilful neglect in the use 

 of fire. 



In response to the repeated recommendations of the Commission, the Legisla- 

 ture, at its last session, passed an amendment to the forestry law, by which it made 

 provision for the appointment of a chief firewarden, who should have charge of all 

 matters relating to forest fires, the effective organization of the town and district 

 firewardens, the collection of reports, prosecution of persons who started fires 

 illegally, and the supervision of the accounts against the Ptate as rendered by the 

 various towns. As this amendment was not passed until the close of the session, 

 the spring fires had occurred before any appointment was made. Mr. Lester S. 

 Emmons, who was selected by the Board to fill this important position, commenced 

 work in June, since which time he has accomplished much in the way of perfecting the 



