Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-04-05
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
Drifton. Pa. April 8, 1S9.

Drifton, Pa, April 8, 1884,
At this season, when the air is full of
tbe smell of burning brush and fires are
blackening our hillsides, already grown
so bare. it is well to call attention to the
fact that the firing of our wild lands.
thereby destroying the young timber, is
crime punishable by law. In section
| /, page 7S6 of the laws of 1869, we find
the following:
1t is hereby enacted, ETC., That any
person or persons who shall Intentionally |
set fire to said lands shall forfeit and |
pay sum not exceeding $500 nor less |
than $50, or shall be confined in the |
county prison for term not exceeding |
one year nor less than thirty days, or
both, at the discretion of the court, on
conviction at any of the courts of this |
commonwealth; one-half of said fine to
be paid to the person or persons who
make the information and the other half
to be paid into the county treasury.
In section ], page 1916 of laws of 1870:
1t is hereby enacted, etc, That it
shall be the duty of the commissioners
of the several counties of this common
wealth to appoint persons under oath,
whose duty it shall be to ferret out and
bring to punishment all persons, who
either Willful or otherwise cause the
burning of timber lands, to take meas
ures to have such fires extinguished
where it can be done; the expenses
| thereof to be paid out of the county
treasury, the unseated land tax to be
the first to be applied to such expense.
In section l and 2, page 1862 of the
laws of 1869:
Sec. 1. Be it enacted etc, That any
| person or persons who shall wantonly
and willfully kindle any fire on the
lands of another, so as to set on fire any
wood lands, barren or moors, within the
limits of this commonwealth, shall be
guilty OF msdemeanor, and on convic-
ton thereof shall be sentenced to pay a
fine not exceeding $500, and undergo an
, imprisonment not exceeding twelve
months, or either or both, at the discre.
: uon of the court; and prosecution fol
i such oifenses may be commenced at any
Il time within two years from the com
I, mission thereof
n Sec. 2. Upon the conviction of any
No. person or persons from any of the often
- ses aforesaid, the commissioners of the
county in which such conviction is had
e shall pay to the prosecutor in every such
If case the sum of $50 out of the county
treasury as a reward for the apprehen.
sion and conviction of the offenders, and
20 the defendant or defendants shall pay
- the same, with the costs as in Other
IL cases, into the hands of the sheriff foi
a the use of the county, and nothing herein
II contained shall prevent the prosecutor
!. from being a competent witness in the
, prosecution aforesaid.
9 Every one mindful Of the true inter.
q est of our country must regard with dis
, pleasure the great and irreparable in
; jury that year by year is caused by the
thoughtless and ignorant men and boys
The poor covering that is still left on the
hills of our neighborhood is yet most use
full in hindering the ground from becom-
ing entirely dry. Even the huckleberry
bushes and such low growth is of value
besides yielding the berries that the
children love to gather, for they help to
keep in the soil the moisture that feeds
, the springs. And the little trees, that
in another generation may re-clothe the
,, hills, should be carefully guarded. They
are a crop Of far more value than any
other that can be raised in this barrer
y soil, important for the health of the en-
= tire community, for no country bare Of
trees can long support large population.
=, 1t would, indeed, be well if offenders
against the public interests could be
10 1 / 1. Al =
misdemeanor is.