FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 147 



fires the same day, caused by passing trains. My men fought well and worked hard. 

 The last fire was reported out by the railroad section hands, but two of my men came in 

 after dark and said they could not put it all out. We were completely tired out and 

 obliged to rest. During the night rain came and extinguished the fire. 



July 5th, 1900. This fire, which burned over an acre or more, started in some dry 

 grass near the railroad tracks, from where it ran rapidly towards the woods. I was noti- 

 fied by Harold Johnson. I went where I could see the smoke, after which I employed 

 Joseph Tupper, who immediately went to the fire. He could not put it out alone, as it 

 was running very rapidly towards the woods. Tupper saw some Delaware and Hudson 

 track men near by, and notified them. These men came immediately, and by a hard and 

 rapid fight the fire was subdued just as it entered the woods. 



August nth, 1900. Three small fires started by a railroad locomotive, but which did 

 little or no damage. I notified the railroad agent at Ballston Lake, and he despatched a 

 messenger for the railroad track men, who came as soon as possible. There were five of 

 them, and they did good work in putting out the fire. 



August 15th, 1900. About 100 acres burned over. On about twenty acres ot this 

 area the trees are still standing, some dead, and most of them injured badly. About 

 thirty acres were in brush and pasture land ; and about fifty acres of second growth soft 

 maple, black ash and elm, growing in a mucky soil. On this portion the trees are all 

 down, but not burned up. The fire burned the muck and soil to a depth of from two to 

 four feet, and in some places deeper. The roots of the trees were burned off, and they 

 are lying where they fell in every direction. In my judgment this tract is a total loss as a 

 wood lot, as there is no soil left, and it will probably be covered with water, except 

 perhaps in a very dry season. 



September 7th, 1900. Number of acres burned over, fifteen to twenty, on lands of 

 Edward Mead, in a boggy and mucky pasture containing a few scattering trees. I 

 employed help ; but two gangs of railroad track men did the most part of the work. 

 They used green boughs, and shoveled dirt. A trench was dug to keep the fire from 

 spreading. 



Mr. Roy P. Schermerhorn, firewarden for the town of Wilton, Saratoga county, 

 N. Y., reports : 



September 5th, 1900. About 100 acres burned over. Ordered out twenty-nine men : 

 total number of days' labor, seventy-one. This fire was probably caused by berry pickers. 

 It was on a lot that was cut over six years ago, and was covered with old tree tops, etc. 

 We fought it inch by inch from the time when it was first discovered, for all around it 

 there was valuable standing timber, with some wood and logs which were cut and ready 

 for market. The wind blew all the time and it was so dry that we could not extinguish 

 the fire completely until rain came, although we watched it and kept it practically under 

 control from the first. 



