152 REPORT OF THE 



who worked a day and a half each, or thirty days in all. I was unable to ascertain the 

 cause of the fire. It must have been started by some one carelessly dropping a lighted 

 match. There are several stone quarries here, and there are men working in them who 

 do not care how much the forests are burned over. I have given them all due notice 

 that if I catch them setting any fires other than lawful ones I would see that they were 

 properly dealt with according to law. It is very difificult sometimes to find out who sets 

 the fires. 



Mr. E. A. Howes, firewarden for the town of Tompkins, Delaware county, 

 N. Y., reports : 



May 3d, 1900. Number of acres burned over, 200, on Great Lot 35, Hardenburgh 

 Patent, Lots i and 12, Division 5. More than half of the area was waste or brush land ; 

 damage to standing timber, $100. This fire came from the town of Hancock into the 

 town of Tompkins. It was started by the sparks from a locomotive on the Ontario and 

 Western Railroad. A great part of the above-described lands was a slashing, from which 

 bark and logs had been taken, only a small amount remaining in the woods ; but there 

 were several hundred cords in the adjoining woods that were saved. It was necessary to 

 leave a man on watch for several days, as it was a very dry time. 



Mr. J. E. Barnabee, firewarden for the town of Masonville, Delaware county, 

 N. Y., reports : 



August 2d, 1900. About seventy-five acres were burned over, one-half of which was 

 brush land. The fire was caused by a man who was burning a fallow and let it escape 

 from his premises. The damage was done principally to the property of this man who 

 was to blame. The fight was made to keep the fire out of a large tract of valuable timber 

 on the east, and it had to be fought day and night. 



Mr. H. B. Sewell, firewarden for the town of Sidney, Delaware county, N. Y., 

 reports : - 



August 3d, 1900. Number of acres burned over, 100 ; value of standing timber 

 destroyed. $500 ; fifty cords of wood burned. The owner of the land where it started 

 set fire to a pile of brush, the object of his doing so I have been unable to ascertain. It 

 could not have been for the purpose of clearing the land, as it was worthless. The largest 

 portion of burned territory was swampy land heretofore covered with water ; but the 

 long dry spell has dried it up, and it was very susceptible to fire. It burned very deep, 

 and for a long time. Around the edges of the swamp the land was covered with very 

 nice spruce, which belonged to the man who started the fire, and who evidently tried hard 

 to extinguish it after it got out. He knew who the firewarden was, but he neglected to 

 give me any notice. I was notified on August nth, at seven-thirty p. m., and was on the 

 ground with twelve men at nine p. m. I remained night and day until the fire was under 

 control. The firewarden from the town of Masonville, with a party of men, was also 

 present. 



