FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 151 



and on the morning of the i6th, assisted by the rain, succeeded in extinguishing it. It 

 was a dangerous fire, and we were very fortunate in stopping it. This shows the value 

 of organization. 



Mr. William A. Douglas, firewarden for the town of Hunter, Greene county, 

 N. Y., reports : 



August loth, 1900. Fire covered 300 acres, part of it brush land ; damage to timber 

 estimated at $200. It started about ten o'clock on the mountain near the road running 

 from Twilight Park to Catskill, about a half mile from top of the mountain and along the 

 creek called Lake Creek, which' runs from the lakes near the Catskill Mountain House. 

 It was very dry, and as the wind was blowing hard the fire made rapid progress. The 

 men who were warned out responded as soon as the fire was discovered, and fought it 

 until they thought they had it out ; but on looking ahead of them about a fourth of a 

 mile they saw that the wind had carried the fire there, where it had got beyond their con- 

 trol. In this fire one young man lost his life and another was badly burned. 



Mr. Francis Bonnefond, firewarden for the town of Hancock, Delaware county, 

 N. Y., reports : 



April 26th, 1900. Number of acres burned, about 600 ; value of standing timber 

 destroyed, estimated at $500. Fire caught by sparks from locomotive on train No. i, Erie 

 Railroad. Ordered out twenty-five men. Total numbe r of days worked, fifty-three. 

 This fire caught, as above stated, about two miles below Hancock village, near a curve on 

 the Erie Railroad, and spread into the woodlands owned by E. E. Wheeler, situated across 

 the highway and on the mountain side, where it burned, as near as can be estimated, 200 

 acres ; also about the same extent on lands of John T. Laken, from which it spread to the 

 lands of adjoining property holders. There was a terrible wind, which drove the fire like 

 a race horse. 



April 26th, 1900. Number of acres burned, 200 ; value of standing timber destroyed, 

 estimated at $200. This fire was started on the 26th of April by one Andrew Beust, of 

 the town of Tompkins. He was burning out a stump in his field and allowed the fire to 

 escape, after which it crossed the town line into Hancock. By hard work it was brought 

 under control within a few rods of a wood chopping, where there were some 6,000 cords 

 of wood cut for an acid factory. He had no right to set the fire at that time, and there- 

 fore is liable to a fine. Such cases should be attended to, or our town will be all burned 

 over. 



Now, what I wish to know is this : As the fire was started in Tompkins, would that 

 town be liable for the expense of putting it out — fifty-five days' work ? I wish you would 

 inform me on this question. (The offender was fined $30 and costs, which he paid in 

 settlement of the complaint.) 



May ist, 1900. Fire on Lots 7, 8 and 9, Division 11, burned 200 acres, destroying 

 about $160 in standing timber; also cordwood worth $125. Ordered out twenty men, 



