22 Report of the Forest Commission. 



P. Hanley, firewarden of the Town of Wells, Hamilton county, 

 reports : 



The following is my report as firewarden for the Town of Wells, 

 Hamilton county, for the year 1894: 



On account of a very dry summer many fires started in this section, 

 but, through hard work and constant vigilance, they were extinguished, 

 so that but slight damage was done. I attended 18 fallows for clearing 

 land and was on duty in each case. I succeeded each time in keeping 

 the fire from spreading into the woods, thereby preventing any damage 

 to standing timber. 



There were also some forest or woodland fires, but in each case, with 

 the aid of a number of men whom I warned out, I succeeded in putting 

 out the fire before any damage was done. 



Tuffield D. Depan, firewarden for the Town of Indian Lake, 

 Hamilton county, reports : 



On May 2 2d there was a fire on the south half of Township 19, of 

 Totten & Crossfield's Purchase, which burned over about three acres. 

 Part of the land was only lightly burned over. About one-quarter of 

 the territory was severely burned. The timber on this tract was com- 

 posed of spruce and hardwood. We had to fight these fires by getting 

 on the ground early in the morning* and using hoes, axes, etc. This 

 land was valued at about $3.00 per acre. 



On the same day, May 22d, there was a big fire on Township 17, 

 Totten & Crossfield's Purchase, which burned over about 4,000 acres of 

 land, including 1,280 acres, known as the Gospel, School and Literature 

 lot. This territory was heavily timbered with spruce, hemlock, balsam 

 and hardwood. Part of this territory was scorched but lightly, while 

 a great portion of it was burned severely, destroying all the timber 

 on that portion. This land was valued at about $4.00 per acre. 

 A good deal of this territory had been lumbered over, but there was a 

 heavy second growth of spruce growing on the land. It is generally 

 supposed that this fire was set intentionally, for some reason or 

 another. It started at a point along the line of the Blue Mountain 

 stage road. A large number of men were ordered out to fight this fire, 

 but we could not do anything with it. It was finally extinguished by 

 a rain storm. 



* The firewarden here has reference to the fact that forest fires die down during the night* 

 and for that reason are more easily controlled early in the morning. 



