Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-28
ANNUAL REPORT
Of Commission of Forestry
For The Year 1912
Tells Of Work II Impairment,
And It's Needs.
Thinks Forestry District aw Should
BE Changed uEd insufficient.

in his annual report, filed with the
Governor and Council, Monday. Hon.
Frank L. Mace, Of the State forestry
commission, said:
III is evident from the experience
gained since the passage of the act
Incorporating the Maine Forestry Dis
trict that several changes in the law
coGld be M, &c that would be OF great
benefit. and particular attention should
be given TO the provision of funds with
which to carry out the spirit Of the
law. As the law now stands it is very
evident that tho tax OF one mill and
one-half VIII not produce sufficient
funds 10 meet the bills of the Forestry
District IN any particularly dry year
in which forest fires of any mi gnitude
may occur. No better illustration can
be had than in the year 1911 when in
the brief period Of a few weeks TN.
appropriation was entirely exhausted
and had it not been for the fact that
tie tmberland owners came forward
and settled the fire bills. the Maine
Forestry District might have received
"A blow from which it would have been
hard to recover rs men who worked
could not have been paid, and not re-
ceiving their pay it would have been
impossible to ever induce them to work
again, TO matter how great the danger.
1t was the intention of the law To
have the surplus OF each year continue
to the next and the trainers of the law
hoped thereby to create a fund to be
drawn upon-in Just such years AS 1911.
the expense of starting the system.
building lookout stations, telephone
lines. purchasing tools, etc, together
with the employment of necessary help
to make the law at all effective has
used practically all Of the assessments
and after four years the treasury has
nothing to the balance of the Maine
Forestry District. or that will be the
state OF affairs when all bills ere paid
and the season Of 1919 commences.
Not being able TO provide surplus
as Was intended. it is quite evident
that an additional tax will have to be
made upon the lands included in the
Maize Forestry district. and would
strongly recommend for at least one
year an extra mill Will be assessed
which will provide between $4,000 ana
$50 600. and had we sueE d sum in 1911
thera would have been no outstanding
bills.
Il also think that the law should be
amended in some way so that payment
of the men could be made more
promptly and would strongly advise
that such amendment make the Fores-
Commissioner the dishursing agent he
to render to the State auditor report
in detail with proper vouchers showing
the disbursement of all money paid out
by the department. Following the pres
cnt method of first auditing and ar
proving the bills by the forest commits
sioner, then forwarding them to the
State auditor for a second auditing al
the convenience of MS clerical force,
and then again awaiting action by the
governor ana council and payment to
the State treasurer makes a Icing pro-
cess and a delay that is hard TO explain
to crew of men who are waiting
for their money The conditions in this
respect are much different than in any
other DEPARTMENT as the men employ
ed in lighting FIRE are in most instances
transientS, who are at one place, today
and at another place. tomorrow, and II
not paid promptly il is sometimes hare
10 lceate them and it is almost certain
that they cannot be relied upor to work
.a.,ain unless They receive their pay
IT is hardly right to expect the
timberland owners who have been as
sessed for their portion of the forestry
tax to be expected to pay the men ana
then waiting the states pleasure Tor
reimbursement which in the case OF
1911 meant to them the expenditure %
2 number of thousands OF dollars an"
with no absolute assurance q rem
bursement
Best Service from Lockout Stations.
In making study of the WORKING
system of the Maine Forestry Distrlc1
my observations lead me 10 concluue
that the best service is obtained from
the lookout stations. The NUMBER OF
these stations have been added TO I'M
til there are % stations in actual ser
vice and the results from eaeh nave
been highly satisfactory. some iil-
provements will have to be made AT
hut in thp main tneA