Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-04-24

Charles +. Atwood, state inspector
Of factories, workshops, mines and
puarres was in the city. yesterday
on his return from tour of duty III
the eastern part of the State.
Hon. f. f. Ring, the State land
agent is engaged in sending out no.
/ tees calling the attention of the select
men Of towns and The commissioners OF
counties to particular sections of tho
| law creating Forest Commission
and for the Protection of Forests"
Section 3 of the law provides that
tn" Sclectmen of towns shall be, cX-
orici", forest fire wardens therein ana
| snail divide said towns into three dis
tricts bounded rs far as may be ~
roads. streams Of water. or lot lines,
and assign to each of their number
the charge and oversight Of one district
as district fire Wardens therein. y
description of each district ana the
name OF the fire warden thereof shall
be recorded with the town clerk. The
services of such seIectmen acting as
said fire wardans,- shall be paid for at
the same rate as is paid for other
piiit isif WIVES IL Shall DC inc duty Ol
the fire warden of the district in which
a fire is discovered 70 take such
measures as may be Necessary for its
control or extinction For this pur-
pose he shall have authority to call
upon any persons in the territory III
which he acts for assistance, ana such
persons shall receive such compensa-
tion not exceeding fifteen cents per
hour as said selectmen may deter
mine, the same to be paid by the town.
Put no town shall be holden to pay for
eXtinguishing forest fires in any year
an amount greater than two per cent
upon its valuation for purposes of
taxation. If any person so ordered to
assist, and not excused from said ser
vice by said forest fire warden on ac-
count of sickness. disability or some
Important business or enga cement,
shah neglect to comply with any such
order he shall forfeit the sum of ten
dollars. to he recovered in an action OF
DEBT in the name and TO the use of the
town, by the treasurer thereof.
County commissioners are en-
powered by Section 4 to appoint fire
Wardcns in unurganiZed places. whose
duties and powers shall be the same az
those of fire wal dens Of towns Their
compensation shall be paid by the
county and the compensation of per
sons called upon by them to render
aid shall be the same as that provided
in the case of towns. and shall be paid
one-half by the county and one-half by
the owners of the lands on which the
fires occur.
Section provides that seIectmen
shall see that notices are erected in q
conspicuous place at the side of every
highway as they may deem proper, and
ut suitable distances alongside the
rivers and lakes of the State fire.
quented by camping parties, tourists,
hunters and fishermen, in their
respective towns, notices in large let
ters to be furnished by the forest com
missioner. substantially in the follow
ing form:
Camp fires must be totally ex-
tinguished before breaking camp, I'M
der penalty of not to exceed one
months imprisonment or one hundred
dollars fine. or both as provided by
law. f.. +. Ring. Forest Commission
| cr."
Section imposes the same duty
upon county commissioners in respect
TO unorganized places, and directs the
municipal and county officers to pro-
coed Immediately to strict inquiry
into the cause and origin of fires
within wood lands: and in all cases
where such fires are found to have
originated from the unlawful act OF
any person to cause the offender to be
prosecuted without delay.
The 9th Section provides that the
| selectmen of towns in which a forest
fire of more than one acre in extent
! has occurred. and the county COM
missioners where forest fire of more
than two acres has occurred in any of
| the unincorporated places i'm any
| county. within a year, shall report to
| the forest commissioner the extent of
| area burned over, to the best of their
information. together with the proba-
BILE amount of property destroyed
specifying tine value of timber as near
as may be, the amount of cord wood.
legs. bark or other forest product.
fencing. bridges and buildings that
have been burned. They shall also re-
port the cause of these fires if they
can be ascertained. and the measures
employed and found most effective in
checking their progress. Blanks for
the reports required i'll this act shall
be furnished by said forest COM
missioner at the expense of the State.
Governor Hill announces the follow
ing nominations:
Judge Municipal Court, Hallowell-
G.. n. Stafford, Hallowell.