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interested in the preservation of the forests would take pleasure in 
posting these notices at suitable places. 
One or a few convictions under the general forest-fire law of the 
‘United States would prove of the highest importance as a warning and 
a check to carelessness. The malicious fire setter usually so covers up 
his tracks that it is difficult to secure evidence sufficient to convict, 
but.a conviction for the minor offense of leaving a camp fire without 
extinguishing it would be extremely easy. Our party, had that been 
our business, could readily have secured in several cases evidence 
sufficient to convict of this offense. 
FIRE LAWS. 
In order to call more directly to the attention of those who shall 
receive this report the seriousness of the offense of setting forest fires, 
the Oregon fire law and the Federal forest-fire law are cited in full. 
OREGON FIRE LAW. 
AN ACT to protect timber and other property from fire. 
Be it enacted by the legislative assembly of the State of Oregon: 
SECTION 1. If any person shall maliciously, with intent to injure any other person, 
by himself or any other person, kindle a fire on his own land or the land of any other 
person, and by means of such fire the buildings, fences, crops, or other personal prop- 
erty, or wooded timber lands of any other person shall be destroyed or injured, he 
shall, on conviction, be punished by a fine not less than twenty dollars nor more than 
one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail not less than three 
eee nor more than twelve months, according to the aggravation of the offense. 
Sec. 2. If any person shall without malice kindle any fire in any field, pasture, 
eee forest, prairie, or timber land not his own, without the consent of the 
owner, and the same shall spread and do damage to any building, fences, crops, cord 
wood, bark, or other personal property not his own, or to any wood or timber land 
not his own, he shall, on conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than ten dollars 
nor more than one hundred dollars and costs, according to the aggravation of the 
offense, and shall stand committed until the fine and costs are paid. 
Sec. 3. Any person who shall enter upon the lands of another person for the pur- 
pose of hunting or fishing, and shall, without the consent of the owner of said lands, 
kindle any fire thereon, shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten dollars nor 
more than one hundred dollars; and if such fire is kindled maliciously, and with the 
intent to injure any other person, such offender shall be punished by a fine not less 
than twenty dollars nor more than two hundred and fifty dollars, or by HU ESORT EY 
_ in the county jail not less than three months nor more than twelve months. 
Sec. 4. Any person or persons who shall wilfully set fire to any wooded country or 
forest belonging to the State or to the United States, or to any person or persons, shall 
be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction before a court of competent 
jurisdiction, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, or 
imprisonment not exceeding one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment: 
Provided, That nothing herein contained shall apply to any person who in good faith 
sets a back-fire to prevent the extension of a firealready burning. 
SEc.5. Upon any prosecution under this act, one-half of the fine imposed shall be 
paid to the person who first gives information thereof to the district attorney for the 
district in which the oftense is committed, and the other moiety shall be paid into 
the county treasury for the benefit of the common-school fund of the county in which 
said fine is collected. 
