The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-19

ing the Ensuing Year In Course
of Preparation by the Chief War
den-The Importance of the
Work Impressed Upon Them
Through u Circular
Chief Fire Warden Andrews is busily
! preparing list of new fire wardens
to hold office for the ensuing year The
terms of the old wardens expired Tues
! day, March 8. when their successors in
| office were elected.
In districts where fire protection is
necessary either on account of forests
/ or prafries. the chairman of the board
OF town supervisors is appointed by
the state fire warden to act as deputy.
In many cases the old warders were
reelected, but the additional towns
who are asking for protection and the
new elections have necessitated COM
plete revision of the list.
In every town election place there
WaG caused to be posted by the fire
Warden's department. large poster.
giving the law. and the penalties for
the violation of its provisions. In ad-
dition to this the following communica
ton from Warden Andrews. was read
March 6. at the annual meeting of
every township:
me attention of the public is respectfully
called to the Importance of observing the
law OF April IS. 1885 for preventing and
extnguishng forest and prairie fires lin
der this law any one who carelessly causes
hre which Injuries or endangers the prop
erty OF another becomes liable to a fine of
500 and Imprisonment for three months a
person who sets fire to straw brush or
other material. in very dry weather. or in
such weather leaves camp fire unextin-
gutshed. is liable to this penal "
The forest fire in Wisconsin in 1871 de-
vas ated 400 square miles of territory killing
lOpo persons. left three times that number
destitute, and destroyed several mill on dol
lars worth of properly. The forest fire in
Michigan; 1881. originating from settlers
burning brush in very dry weather. spread
over fortyeight townships, killed 1873 peo-
pie, burned out hundreds of families and
destroyed over 81 900. 600 worth OF property
The Hinckley forest fire in Minnesota, 1884,
caused by railroad sect on men, killed 4S
people and destroyed vast amount OF
property. Destructive forest fires causing
also loss of life. prevailed in other parts
of Minnesota the same year. We liable
some time to have another dry season as
that of 1894. and TO escape oSsible calam-
ity we ought to become habituated to great
The majority of people are care
full The danger is from few who are
fires or leave fires unquenehed in dry
weather. Such people have been admon-
ished by notices posted by authority of the
state, and if they persist In causing dan
gerous fires they must expect to suffer the
penalty which the law prescribes. District
have original Jurisdiction of onenses under
this law, and if fire wardens neglect to
thoroughly inquire into the causes of fires
and bring offenders to justice they will
themselves be liable to prosecution. Every
zone can see that humanity and kindness
on the side of strict rather than a lax
enforcement of the fire warden law.
Let all good citizens encourage a willing
compliance with this law and the danger
from forest and prairie fires will grow less
from year to year.
Mr. Andrews said yesterday as the
prairie country was being settled up
ard the forests of the state were being
leveled, it would only be a question of
some years until the necessity for such
protection would entirely disappear.
1t was well, however, for the people
of the pineries to have systemized
method of preventing fires and. in case
of a conf1agraticn, a man who would be
able to direct the fight against the fire
fiend.
The Hinckley fire was an example Of
what a forest fire might be if it was
allowed a good start with a high wind
Nearly forty of the counties had pro-
lection and nearly 1000 fire wardens
had been appointed by the office.
The work had been carried on very
economically. and from his correspon-
dence with the wardens of the state, it
was evident that the people were we'll
pie ased with their system of fire pro-
lection