Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-02-13
TO Fight Forest Fires.

lily If he ever makes his appearance
there.
To Fight Forest Fires.
A fire department to battle with the
flames which annually devastate vast
forest tracts in West Virginia Is n
Of the provisions Of the bill prepared
by the fish and game commission ap-
pointed by Governor Dawson. The bin
provides for a forest. game and fish
warden who shall be fire warden OF
the state. The sections relating to
the protection against and fighting OF
fires II the forests is in line with
recommendations made by the con-
! ~servation commission appointed by
the governor shortly after the nation
al conservation congress in Washing
ton about a year ago. That part OF
the report Of this commission relating
to the forests of the state 10 thai
the losses from forest fires last year
was much heavier than ever before
and precautionary steps were urged.
AS stated before, the passage OF
this measure will make the forest,
game and fish warden the head OF the
state forest fire fighting fire depart.
ment and all deputy wardens win be
deputy fire wardens for their respei-
! tive counts s. These officials will be
vested with such power that in case
of FIRE in any woodland they may hire
labor or summon any resident OF their
county. destroy fences. plough land,
set back fires, o. use other methods
which might tend to confine or ex-
tinguish the fire. Any resident who
is called upon to help to fight the
flames in his county. II he is ply
s.cally able to do so. must render such
assistance or forfeit ten dollars.
Those hunters and others who
through thoughtlessness or neglect
build fires in fields, woods, public or
private road and then leave them
burning will be made to suffer if this
bin become a law as provision is
made that such persons will be guilty
| of a misdeneanor and subject to a
fine OF from s25 to 500.
The railroads, to which were at
tributei many Of the disastrous forest
fires during the drought last summer
and fall. also fall under the provisions
of the bill. They are required to re
move from their right Of way along
tracks passing through forest lands
! at least twice a year all grass, brush
and other infammable material, They
will also be required by law TO do
that which the Baltimore and Ohio
and other roads in the state did last
fall On their W initiative, that is,
during seasons Of drought to employ
a sufficient number of tracKnen TO
promptly put out ali fires along the
right Of way. These extra trackmen
are also required in the spring before
vegetation has revived, The railroads
will also have to place spark ar
rosters on the smoke stacks of their
locomotives ana TO use adequate de-
vices to prevent the escape OF FIRE
from ash pans and furnaces. Should
a conductor or any other employe on
a train notice a fire in a fence or
any other material along or near the
, right of way it will be necessary to
stop the train at the next station and
notify the agent there, who in turn
shall notify the nearest fire warden.
Tire railroads are also forbidden to
deposit fire Goals or ashes on its
tracks or right of way near lands
subject to fire. And in cas- of a fire
on o. a its property a railroad is
required to give all practicable aid
toward extinguishing ii.
Statistics show that fire has tended
more than any other agencies to de-
crease the West Virginia forest lands
to the point where a very large part
of the people realize the great danger
of conditions continuing as they now
are and in all likelihood this or some
other measure which has as it's OBJ
iocg the nrotepfinn cf the 4iuhnr IA