The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-25
Minnesota's Fire Warden Law.

The proposition to repeal the fire
warden law ought to be very seriously
considered by the legislature-and re-
Jected. The facts in regard to its origin
and operation may not be generally
understood, and a brief resume may
not be uninteresting to members of the
legislature:
Our Minnesota law (of April is, 1880
for preventing forest fires is the same
in principle as the New York law,
which has been in operation fourteen
years. The New York law was enacted
principally to protect the forests of the
Adirondacks, of which the state owns
about 100000 acres, and private in
dividuals 100000 acres. Our Mime
sofa law is similar to the New York
law (also to the Maine and New Hamp-
shire laws) in making supervisors fire
wardens. 1t makes the state auditor
forest commissioner without additional
pay, and authorizes him to appoint a
deputy, to be known as chief fire war;
den. 1t applies to prairies as we'll as
to forest regions
Under this law person who willfully
or negligently causes forest or prairie
fire, which Injuries or endangers the
property of another, is liable to a fine
not exceeding 800 or Imprisonment in
the county Jail not exceeding three
months. District courts as we'll as JUS
tees Of the peace have Jurisdiction of
the offenses. Fire wardens must post
warning notices, furnished by the state,
containing an abstract of the penalties
under the law; they must take pre-
cautions to prevent the setting of forest
and prairie fires" They are expected
to caution people, verbally and in a
very dry season go over the territory
and see that fires do not occur. If a for
est or prairie fire does occur, they are
to go to it and endeavor to eXtinguish
or control it. They may call to their
assistance in emergencies any able
bodied male citizen over eighteen years
man of the town board must investi-
gate the cause Of the fire and report the
same, together with the amount Of
property destroyed, to the chief fire
warden. In unorganized townships the
chief fire warden has to appoint fire
wardens if he can find suitable men
for the position. Sometimes fire war
den thus appointed for unorganized ter
ritory takes charge of two or more con-
gressional townships.
Fire wardens who neglect or refuse
to perform their duties are liable to
pay fine of not exceeding 800 or be
imprisoned in the county Jail not eX-
ceeding three months. Mayors of cities
and presidents of village councils in
forest and prairie regions are also con-
stituted fire wardens. The fire warden
force Of the state may be massed at
any special point to suppress fires.
Railroad companies are required to
have efficient spark arresters on their
locomotives, to post at their stations
warning notices furnished by the state,
to keep their right of way cleared of
combustible material and if fire oc-
ours along their line they are to ex-
tinguish it. They are liable to fine
not exceeding 500 for each offense.
The compensation of a fire warden
for actual service is at the rate Of 81
per day for not exceeding fifteen days
in a year. 1t averages about SIS a year.
The pay Of citizens called to help ex-
tinguish a fire is at the rate Of $1.50 a
day for not exceeding five days in the
year Accounts before being paid must
be approved by the town board Of SUI
pervsors and also by the county COM
missioners. The counties pay for the
services, but cannot expend, under the
law, over $500 in year. The state
pays the counties one-third of what
they expend. The states annual APP
preparation to execute the law is $4,000,
out of which also is paid onethird of
the county expenses.