The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1914-01-24
PROTECTIVE METHODS
How the Railway Fire SItua.
ton Is Being Handled
In Canada.
BY CLYDE LEAvITT,

mission OF CoHeeTVdtion OF SdHdoa'
Forest fire protective work is in
general not SO far advanced in Canada
as In the United States. However,
the reverse is the case as to the por-
ton of the problem which has to do
with the prevention and control o
fires along railway lines.
A wise act of craftsmanship was
the passage in 1903 of the Dominion
Railway Act, establishing a board of
railway commissioners with almost
unlimited powers over railway con-
struction and operation. This board
has powers over railways that ara
scarcely even approached by the in.
terstate commerce commission of the
United States.
At the end OF 1911 the total length
Of railways operating in Canada was
! over $4,000 miles, leaving the Domin'
ion in the unique position Of having
I the largest railway mileage per cap
ita OF population of any country in
the world, despite the rapid ypeopling
of the western provinces during the
past ten years. At the same time
there were nearly 1000 additional
4 miles of line actually under construc-
ton.
The powers granted to and exer-
cised by the railway commission as to
fire protective measures have been
gradually modified and extended. cul.
minating last May in the issuance Of
Order 1850, covering all phases OF
railway fire protective work. The es.
sential requirements Of this order are
as follows:
(First.) The use Of ire-protective
appliances on coal-burning locomo.
tiyes, calculated to prevent so far as
possible the escape Of live sparks or
cinders from stack and fire-box. These
appliances to be inspected at least
once each week by railway employees.
Frequent check inspections are also
made by the inspectors of the oper.
mission. The best modern appliances
are prescribed. and experience shows
that the frequent Inspections made
by the railways themselves result In
the early discovery and rectification
of defects in netting mesh or other
appliances. In this way the occur
renee of fires is very largely prevented,
though not entirely so, as there seems
as yet to be no satisfactory appliance
that will wholly prevent the escape
of live sparks from stacks under ex.
IRENE conditions.
(Second.) The extinguishing of fire
live Goals and ashes deposited upon
tracks or rights of way outside OF
yard limits. Fortunately there now
seems to be very little trouble from
this source.
(Third.) The non.use OF Ignite coal
There are vast deposits of Ignite in
the prairie provinces, and much trou
BILE has been experienced in the pas;
through fires caused by the use of this
fuel on railways. It finally became
necessary to prohibit its use entirely
(Fourth.) The establishment and
maintenance of fire guards in the prai
rie sections. The application Of this
requirement has so far been limited
to portions of Alberta, Saskatchewan
and Manitoba, where there is danger
of grass or stubble fires. The chic
fire inspector is given full authority
to prescribe who, when and where
fire guards are to be constructed.
(Fhth.) Regulation of burning O
inflammable material along rights o
way. The Railway Act requires tha
railway companies shall at all time.
maintain and keep their rights of way
free from dead or dry grass. weed.
, and other unnecessary combustibi'
matter. 1t has often happened in tn,
past that in complying with this re
'quirement, railway employees hav,
built fires during extremely dry peri
ods, and much damage has resulted
from such fires getting beyond con
troll. The new order prohibits sucl
burning during the fire season, excep
under such supervision as will proven
the fire from spreading beyond tn,
strip being cleared. The chief fir,
inspector or other authorized office
of the board may require that no sucl
burning be done along specified por
tions Of any railway line, except Will
the written permission or under tn,
direction of such officer. Thus, ampl
provision is made for regulating RICH
OF way burning without at all reliev
ing the railway company Of the neces
sity for getting the work done. Sucl
regulation is especially importan
where railway construction work Il
being carried on, since construction
gangs usually consist of an irresponsi
BILE class Of laborers. and the con
tractors and subcontractors have n,
interest except in getting the worl
done at a minimum cost of time ant
money. The application Of this regu
lation has been especially valuabl,
during the past summer on railwa,
construction work along the Crane
Trunk Pacific in Northern British Co
lumbia, where the season was dry. II
marked contrast to most OF the res
Of the country. The power to rcgu
late burning is, however, highly de
sirable as to operating lines which
run through forest country. This o.
course assumes the. existence OF som,
governmental organization on tn,
II 10000 A. S,sxt.s> ~. !. q