New-York tribune., 1908-09-29
THE ADIRONDACK FIRES.

II nature has not yet come abundantly TO the
aid of those who have been waging such des-
perate fight with fire in the Adirondacks, the
relief which rain alone can afford must come
sooner or later. At the worst, the fulfilment OF
the weather bureaus promise can only be de-
layed. When. however, an effective check is
nut on the havoc and anxiety of the last few
weeks it will be in order to ask what precau-
tions have been neglected this year, and what
steps should be taken TO avert a repetition or
recent disasters.
The most common causes of forest fires are
the escape of sparks from railway engines, the
burning Of the growth on falow land by farm
ers to enrich the soil and the carelessness of
camping parties An additional source of dam
ger exists in heaps of slash the tops and
branches of trees cut by lumbermen If loco
motives using oil fuel We're in service, or If cleo
trio traction had come into vogue in the regions
where the most trouble from fire occurs, the
destruction would be much diminished. If the
transportation companies operating trains in
the Adirondacks have not already considered
the feasibility of substituting one of these sys-
TENS for that in use perhaps they can be
persuaded to take the matter up next winter.
Whether it will be practicable to make the burn
ing of vegetation by the farmer safer or to
reform the lumberman's methods is a nice qles-
ton, but there ought to be no doubt of the
righteousness of Furnishing those irresponsible
individuals who light fires in the woods to cook
their food but neglect to extinguish the embers
A vigorous enforcement of existing laws would
certainly do much good
To stop the spread of fire which has once
fairly started three methods are now employed
Fire engines. sometimes supplied by the rail-
road companies and sometimes procured in
emergencies from the nearest city, are service
able if they can reach the scene in time. Not
infrequently the digging Of a trench three or
four feet wide will serve the purpose. Good re-
suits often attend back firing, an application of
the tactics employed the praries. These
measures do not go quite far enough, unfortu-
nately and there seems TO be a poor prospect
of imDrovng on them Some day. when govern
mental protection, state and national has been
more generally extended to the forests of the
country. broad lanes will be cut in the woods
as barriers to possible fires. Just the
method which seems TO promise the largest de-
gree of safety and TO give a permanent assur
ance of it is practically unknown in America.
Something might be gained, nevertheless, by
increasing the power of the fire wardens Those
officials have authority TO employ men to help
them when the necessity arises the expense be-
ing divided between the town and the state; but
the wardens have been hampered more than
once by the red tape which complicates payment
for the work 1t has also been observed that
while the law provides for paying those who
fight fires it fails to compensate men who pre-
vent them. If these faults in the present system
could be corrected, a stronger incentive would
be afforded for Il class of labor the value Of
which has possibly been underrated.