Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-06-11
REPORT ABOUT
FOREST FIRES
Excellent Work Done by In
forcing State Laws.
CFrou the NEWS Correspondent.J

Trenton, June 11:-The annual
report of the New Jersey Fire Com
mission shows that during the last
year the forest fire laws were so Wig
o%rously enforced that in 256 cases
someone was held accountable for a
fire. In 140 instances a railroad
company paid the bill. In forty
nine cases an individual paid a fine
or was otherwise penallzed. The
balance of the cases are still pend
ing. The sum of the penalties col
lected amounted to $2,021, of which
$1,346 came from the railroads and
1875 from individuals. The com
mission say in the report, it is
doubtful If this record can be match
ed in all the rest of the United
States put together. The organiza-
ton by which these results were &C
complished consisted of five State
Fire Wardens and 242 local war
dens.
The report shows that the chief
effort Of the commission is to give
value to the forests through fire
control. The state owns and can
no important part of the for
ests within her borders, but by en-
couraging and helping those who do
own them a better order will be es-
tabltshed.
In New Jersey most forest fires oc-
cur In the spring, and the spring Of
1911 was 80 exceptionally dry that
the fire hazard was greatly increas-
ed. Nevertheless, the fire service
which has been developed during six
years succeeded IN ~lessening the
number of fires by thirteen per cent,
and In reducing-the total damage by
thirty-two per cent over what was
suffered the previous year. In
neighboring states under similar
conditions the fire loss was from
two to five times as great as hat of
the preceding The report
points out that most of the railroads
are doing their utmost to prevent
fires. Their employees and fire war
dens succeeded so we'll in meeting
the situation that of 200 fires start
ed only seventeen burned as much
as ten acres A strong indication of
the railroads interest is found in
the statement hat they have built
235 miles Of fire lines, practically
voluntarily, and at their own cost.
VI II iouI Go uuJ " VI uSlI
burning some were serious though
what might have happened is sug-
gested by the showing that upwards
of 2,400 bruins burning permits
were issued.
New Jersey can have forests with
out much planting once the fires are
brought under subsection. With
about $4,000 acres of forest reserves
the purchase of more has been in
terrupted SO that all the money
available can be devoted to protect
Ing all the forests, no matter who
owns them. The commission IS as
sisting woodland owners to cut and
dispose of mature timber, to clean
up and put in productive condition
woodlands that have been abused, to
plant where that Is necessary, and
otherwise to put the forests on a
productive basis. 1t also considers
the needs of municipalities in respect
to shade trees. Many communities
now have Shade Tree Commissions,
and until each is able to employ an
arborist of its own the State forest
ers will furnish technical advice. A
special warning Is given against
tree fakirs; men who go about Of
fering to cure a tree of any i'll from
which 1t suffers, or to prune trees
whether they need it or not. Tree
owners are advised to consult some
reputable authority before employ
ing these men.