Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1910-05-05
Official Report OF The State
Forester.

fromState Forester Besley. whomade
an investigation and estimated thu
damage.
Tbs large fre starting on the farm
OF Harry Alvey, west of California
about Saturday coon, April Sab, was
the most destructive forest fire tia.
has been reported in the State Stree
fire records have been kept begin.
ming in 1906.
"a go dee 80. IS etc Eores-
ter Be%ley. the damage to st. Mary 5
county by the Forest Fires Of April
and 10. is estimated rs follows:
Wooded area burned over
$500 acres. $I2. 500
Buildings burned, 2
houses and 3 barns, $500
Cut cord wood burned,
1000 cords, $4,000
Fencing burned, $4,000
panels, -. 900
RailroadtieS burned, 1900, 5000
The fire bad It's origin on the farm
OF Harry Alvey who was burning
of a sedge field without having
taken the proper precautions TO pre-
vent the escape Or the fire 10 the
adjoining woods
Three other fires we're reporfpd
about the same time; one near Gle
ments on Sunday, Apr, 10th. sup
posed to be started oy some smok
ers, burned $50 acres Of woodland
and caused an estimated damage OF
$500. Another fire started from the
saw mill of Richard Beazlev. north
If Great Mills Post-office, on Friday
evening. April 9th. and burned
about 100 acres OF the surrounding
woodlands with an estimated dam
age of 5000. The third fire started
from the saw mill O! Robert Ovens,
near Valley Lee and burned over
approximately 100 acres Of woods
with an estimated damage Of 800.
1t appears that the forest fires oc-
curing in the county withina week
caused damage Of over $50, 900, in
| Guiding merchandise timber aud
young growth that was destroyed
or injured.
1t was unfortunate that in the case
of the California fire there were no
State Forest Wardens in the vicinity
to organize force to cxtinguish it.
Judging from experiences in other
parts Of the State, it is believed
that a properly authorized forest
warden with the power OF the State
behind him could have been Of great
service and reduced the damage 10
4 small fraction Of what actually ...
Cured. Under the recently amend
ed State Forest laws, Forest War
dens are required tD report imme
diately at the scene Of forest fire
and they are authorized 10 employ
all means necessary for the prompt
suppression OF fire. The law autho
rizes him to employ assistance, sum
mon any male citizen between Is
and 90 years, Impress into service
teams. tools, and other material re
| quired. This fire was 50 SOthreatening
and made such rapid progress :
among the fallen pine trees caused
| Oy the March storm Of one year ago.
that homes and personal property
were endangered As consequence
! the chief concern Of each mAn was
70 stay by his family and property
for their protection This vas ma
tural and as a result of the back
firing around homes In advance Of
! the approaching fire. the general
! conflagratiOn vas .ucre4Sed instead
Of abaied Had a forest warden
been present it would have been bis
duty to- organize a force 20 combat
the main fire which would have
been done by backirirg along one
~ the numerous roads across the
probable path Of the approaching
fire.
The question that naturally arises
is why were there 10 wardeus 10
this section Of the County? The
answer is that when a fores survey
Of the County was made ir the sum
mer OF 1905, the general report
everywhere in the southern half OF
the County was that we never
have any forest fires. Since the
number Of forest wardeGs tina, can
be appointed in any county is limit
cd, the State Forester did not think
j, best to have them appointed where
they were not needed. The fire is
a conclusive evidence that no part
Of the county is exempt from forest
fire and the people OF this part Of
II e county may be assured that ad
Gitional forest wardens will be ap.
pointed to insure reasonable sCcsr-
ity against a return Of calamity oi
this kind. The forest wardens in
St. Mary's County at the present
time are:
Joseph L Davis, Charlotte Hall
Dnlnrr Inr-n-.lln