148 REPORT OF THE 



Mr. Walter S. Mead, firewarden for the town of Providence, Saratoga county, 

 N. Y., reports : 



August nth, 1900. About four acres burned over, which were covered with poor 

 timber of little value. About eight rods of fence were destroyed. By prompt work it 

 was prevented from spreading, and soon burned itself out. Owing to the extreme dry 

 season I consider our town fortunate with regard to the small number of forest fires 

 occurring this year. 



Mr. E. J. Wilco.x;, firewarden for the town of Hadley, Saratoga county, N. Y., 

 reports; 



May 2ist, 1900. Fire ran over about 100 acres; but very little damage was done to 

 the timber. A small frame house worth about $75 was burned ; also, some cordwood 

 worth $15. My delay in reporting this fire is due to the fact that the owner of the land 

 felt confident that he could identify the party that started the fire ; but he has failed to 

 do so. I have not made any estimate of the damage, because the fire ran so rapidly that 

 it did not kill any large timber. About forty acres are heavily timbered, mostly hard- 

 wood, and at present the foliage is fully developed. 



Mr. William Merrill, firewarden for the town of Johnsburg, Warren county, 

 N. Y., reports : 



May 13th, 1900. Fire ran over two acres on Township 11, Totten and Crossfield's 

 purchase, but without destroying any timber ; warned out four men ; total of time worked 

 three days and two hours. A man by the name of Charles Smith was in the field hunt- 

 ing, and the fire is supposed to have been started by burning gun wads from a shot gun. 



June 19th, 1900. Was notified by Edward Cross to be present at a fallow fire which 

 he wished to start on Lot 143. It being next to the State forest, and the wind being high, 

 I forbid him from burning a fallow at that time. 



June 29th, 1900. A small fire of about two and one-half acres occurred on Lot 40. 

 As the land had been burned over about fourteen years ago very little damage was done. 

 It was probably started by some berry pickers. The deputy firewarden ordered out 

 twenty-six men, and they were there before I arrived. It is well that he did so for the 

 fire occurred where it would have spread rapidly if not taken care of at once. 



August 5th, 1900. About two acres were burned over on Lot 19, Township 11. shore 

 of Cod Pond ; on State land. About $5 worth of timber destroyed. This fire was 

 undoubtedly left by a fishing party who neglected to put out their camp fire when they 

 moved out. It is now under control, with a trench all around it : but it is not entirely 

 extinguished. The recent showers did not touch that place. 



September 17th, 1900. This fire — -one and one-half acres, near Bullhead Mountain, 

 Township 11 — was caused by some log jobbers who set fire to a hornet's nest. They 

 neglected to put it out after destroying the nest. 



