36 TENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



From the consolidated reports of the town fire-wardens in the Adiron- 

 dack counties it appears that the total area of woodland burned over in 

 1904 aggregated 1,635 acres, not including meadow or wasteland; and that 

 the total damages to standing timber, as estimated by them, amounted to 

 $930. That the loss is disproportionately small is due to the fact that most 

 of the reports were for surface fires that merely burned the dead leaves 

 on the ground without charring the bark on the trees or killing the timber. 

 As one fire-warden described it in his report, " The fire just skimmed over 

 the leaves and did not do any damage to standing timber, as the ground 

 was so damp." 



In the Catskill counties, as shown by the tabulated reports of the fire- 

 wardens for 1904, there were 992 acres of woodlands that were run over by 

 fire. On this area the standing timber was injured to an extent estimated 

 at $570. 



The loss of timber on the Forest Preserve was very slight. Of the 1 ,63 5 

 acres of woodland that were scorched or burned over in the Adirondacks, 

 only 51 acres belonged to the State; and of the 992 acres thus injured in the 

 Catskills, only 45 acres were State lands. The total damage to State 

 timber in both sections, as estimated on the various burned areas, amounted 

 in all to $81. 



There were only two fires of any note in the Adirondacks. One occurred 

 June 20th, on the lands of the Rich Lumber Company, near Wanakena, 

 Township 15, St. Lawrence county. About 100 acres were burned over 

 along the line of a railroad, owned and operated by this company, which 

 runs from Benson Mines to Wanakena, where their mills are located. The 

 tract had been closely lumbered for both the softwoods and hardwoods, 

 and hence the damage to standing timber was comparatively slight. But 

 the fire — which was started by sparks from one of their locomotives — 

 spread to their skidways and consumed entirely the large piles of logs 

 which were awaiting shipment to the mills. The value of the logs thus 

 destroyed was estimated at $5,000 by the company. 



The other fire referred to occurred May 6, on the Cornell University 

 tract, and ran over about 200 acres. The greater part of this area had been 

 cut over under the contract with the Brooklyn Cooperage Company to supply 

 its stave and heading mills and wood acid factory at Tupper Lake. As the 



