Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1904-12-31
NO. 16.
Approved December .. 1904.

NO. 16.
AN ACT RELATING TO THE PRES
ERvATIoN OF FORESTS.
1t is hereby enacted by tho General
Assembly of the state of Vermont:
Section 1. The governor of the state
shall, within ten days after the appoint-
ment. and confirmation by tho senate. Of
the members Of the board Of Agriculture
designate one of said members to act ~
forestry commissioner OF the state Of Yer
mont II shall be the duty Of tho NOM
Der of the board Of agriculture so desiE-
mated to perform all acts and duties
hereinafter required Of the forestry COM
missioner during his term Of office a.
member of the board OF agriculture.
Sec. 2. The forestry commissioner shall
biennially. on or before the first day Of
July In the year In which the legisla-
ture meets. report to the governor his
acts under this law. the material facts
he may have ascertained and such rec
concentrations as he deems pertinent.
Such report shall be printed In the re-
port Of the secretary of the board OF
agriculture.
Sec. g. The first selectman in each
town shall be- and is hereby constituted.
forest fire warden in and for his town.
The services of such selectman while
acting as fire warden shall be paid for
by the town at the same rate as he Is
paid for his other official services. 1t
shall be the duty Of the Forest fire warden
of town in which a forest fire is dis
lowered to take such measures as may
be necessary for it's prompt control and
extinguishment. For this purpose he
may call upon any person in the town
for assistance, and persons so assisting
shall be paid by the town at the rate
of fifteen cents per hour. But no town
shall be held liable in any year for an
amount greater than five per cent on its
grand list for the purpose Of extinguish-
ing forest fires. Expenditures in any town
for the purpose of extinguishing forest
fires in excess OF the amount
: above authorized SHALL If authorized by
the state forestry commissioner be paid
by the state On receipt of the bills for
such expenses duly approved by the for
estry commissioner, the auditor shall
draw an order for same which shall bo
paid by the state treasurer out Of the
general funds of the state. If any per-
son called upon by q forest fire warden
for assistance, and not excused for COED
J rea son, fails or refuses to so assist he
shall be fined not exceeding ten dollars.
Sec. 4. The state forestry commissioners
may in his discretion appoint for any I'M
organized town or gore fire warden
who shall hold office for one year from
the date of his appointment and who shall
have the same powers and duties a. .
town fire warden and may also call for
assistance on persons not residents Of the
unorganized town or gore In question.
Expenses incurred by fire wardens for
such unorganized towns and cores in e1-
= tinguishing forest fires shall on approval
of the forestry commissioner, be paid
by the state. No bills. however. in any
one such town - gore shall exceed one
g hundred dollars in single year.
Sec. 8. Any person or persons who
build fire in or adjoining any woods
in this state shall, before leaving the
J. same, totally extinguish such fire. Any
n person failing to comply with this SEQ
4, ton shall be fined not more than fifty
dollars or imprisoned not more than
"a thirty days, or both.
E, Sec. G. The forestry commissioner shall
l. have printed upon cloth In large letters
notices containing proper warning as to
| ,Na.,, H.
r provision of the preceding section. These
Q notices shall be furnished to all fire
: wardens in the state who shall post them
in suitable places. These notices may
also be furnished to private landowners
o Sec Z. The fire wa~dens shall keep a
9 record of all acts done by them under
this law, of the amount of expenses
incurred, of the number of fires, their
causes, the areas burned over and the
character and amount OF damage done by
forest fire in their Jurisdiction. Once a
year during the month Of January they
shall report to the state forestry COM
missioner these facts on blanks to be
furnished by him.
r Sec 8. The state forestry commission.
err may prepare or have prepared bulle-
& tins or circulars treating Of forest fires
their prevention. the best methods OF
controlling and extinguishng the same
the laws Of the state on the subject. the
. care of woodlands, the best methods OF
numbering, the promotion and preserva'
i. ton of forest growth and kindred SUBJ
= jects which circulars and bulletins may
be printed and circulated at the expense
o. of the state, and may be included ir
n the printed report Of the secretary of the
i, board of agriculture.
~ Sec. Q. Fires kndled for the purpose
of burning brush or for other Lawful
g. purpose must only be kindled at sucf
times and under such conditions as viii
~, enable the parties starting them to keeI
them entirely under control
" Sec. 10. Any officer neglecting to per
a form the duties imposed on him by thi'