File:Annual report of the Commissioners of Fisheries, Game and Forests of the State of New York (1897) (14568771419).jpg

Identifier: annualreportof4189718newy (find matches)
Title: Annual report of the Commissioners of Fisheries, Game and Forests of the State of New York
Year: 1895 (1890s)
Authors: New York (State). Commissioners of Fisheries, Game and Forests
Subjects: Forests and forestry Fisheries Game and game-birds
Publisher: (Albany, N.Y. : The Commission)
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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anization. There should be some official, provided by law, whose sole duty shouldconsist in perfecting the organization of the firewardens, and in attending to thevigorous prosecution of all violations of the law regarding forest fires. Among the firewardens there are too many who are inefficient or indifferent. Itfrequently happens, also, that vacancies occur, through a change of residence ordeath, which are not reported to the superintendent; and when a fire occurs in thesetowns there is consequently no one to look after it or order out the necessary force ofmen to extinguish it. These evils could be remedied largely by the appointment of achief firewarden, who should travel continually from town to. town in order to see thatthe force is completely and efficiently organized, and that every violation of the law ispromptly prosecuted. There are over seven hundred firewardens, including the deputies,and it must be evident that a force of this size needs some special officer at its head
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FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. 331 in order to obtain a proper degree of efficiency. It is hoped and expected that theLegislature will soon make the necessary provision for some such appointment.* The firewardens are required by law to send to the Commission a written report ofeach fire. Printed blanks are furnished them for this purpose, on which, in answer tothe questions contained therein, the firewarden states all the facts connected with thefire—the date, duration, locality, area burned over, estimated damages, cause of thefire, means employed in extinguishing it, number of men employed, and the numberof days work, together with any further information of a specific or general characterwhich might be worth mentioning. Some of these reports are very readable, containing considerable information onthe subject of forest fires in general. But many of the firewardens seem to be unableto make out an intelligent report, and confine themselves to the bare answers to theprinted questions.

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