MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE The following document is provided by the LAW AND LEGISLATIVE DIGITAL LIBRARY at the Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library http://legislature.maine.gov/lawlib Reproduced from scanned originals with text recognition applied (searchable text may contain some errors and/or omissions) PUBLIC DOCUMENTS OF MAINE: m:rnc nn: ANNUAL REPORTS OF TIU: V,\RIOUS DEP A.RTMENTS A.ND INSTITUTIONS For the Year 1904. VOLUME II. AUGUSTA KENN}'.m:c JOURNAL PRINT 1905 Lumbered spruce stand burned iii 1903. Township 8, Range 5, Aroostook Co. FIFTH REPORT O:F THE FOREST COMMISSIONER O:F THE STATE OF MAINE AUGUSTA KENNEBEC JOURNAL PRIN1' 1904 STATE OF MAINE. To His Excellency, IJohn F. Hill, Governor of Maine: I herewith submit my second report as Forest Commissioner for the year ending November 30, 1904, as required by the act for 1891, chapter 100, creating a Forest Commission. EDGAR E. RING, Forest Commissioner. A situation where the right-of-way proved an effective fire-line. Near Bemis, Franl, lin Co. REPORT OF THE FOREST COMMISSIONER. In carrying on the work of the Forestry Department for the past two years special attention has been given to the protection of the forests from fire. The results have been fairly satisfac­ tory. Considering the vast wooded area of the State and the many incipient fires which occurred during the exceedingly dry season of 1903, Maine has suffered less in proportion from forest fires than any other State. This is due to the system of warden ser­ vice which was inaugurated by the Forestry Department under the la,v of 1903, which granted an appropriation of an emergency fund of $ro,ooo for 1903 and a like sum for 1904, for the prevention and extinguishment of forest fires. As will be seen oy the tabulated report on the following pages 355 fires occurred in this State during 1903 and many smaller fires were put out of which no mention was made. With very few exceptions they were extinguished by the fire wardens with but little loss. A few fires which were not under control on June 3d, the mem­ orable day of high and dry winds, when men were powerless to cope with the flames which swept over acres of timberland with the speed of a race horse, even the wardens being obliged to run for their own safety, swelled the total loss to the figures which staggered the public when the wind and fire had subsided and an account of the damage could be taken. But Maine was fortu­ nate compared to some other states. The report of the loss by forest fires in the State of New York, for instance, shows that about 600,000 acres were burned at an estimated loss of $3,500,- 000. The cost to that state of fighting forest fires in 1903 was $175,000. In connection with the loss and expense in this State I desire to say that in all cases of expense the land owners were willing 6 FOREST COM;IIISSro:-;1~r/~ Rf;PORT. to pay as their proportional part, whatever the Forest Commis­ sioner fixed as a just division of the cost. By so doing and carrying some accounts over to the next year we were enabled to continue the warden serviice throughout the season. The old adage that one extreme follows another is shown by the extremely wet season of 1904. While· some fires have oc­ curred, particularly in "Washington and Hancock Counties, where less rains have fallen and where the soil drys more quickly than in other sections of the state, the loss has been small and conse­ quently the warden expense has been much less than 1903. Although some large bills of 1903 were carried over to 1904 and paid from the emergency fund of this year there will be returned to the State treasury, unexpended, about $2,000. '~' hite pines which have escaped repeated fires. An illustration of the r esi s tance of species to fire. Township XXII, Hanccck Co. FOREST COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 7 FOREST FIRES OF 1903. The forest fire record of 1903 will go down in history as one that has never been equalled and it is hoped never will be re­ peated. All of the states to which the trade is looking for a lumber and pulp supply for years to come, suffered great losses. It was a peculiar year, unusual conditions prevailing from the breaking of winter until the commencement of summer. The snow melted earlier than usual under the warm rays of the March and April sun, but the anticipated rains of spring failed. Without the usual precipitation the ground quickly dried, creating a deplorable condition in the forests, such as the older woodsmen had never seen. The leaves of the preceding fall mixed with the underbrush, usually quickly covered by a green growth, produced in the spring of 1903 a condition equal to a tinder box, taking but the slightest spark to ignite. From April 8th to June 9th there was a fall of but 1.85 inches of rain. For the month of May only .73 of an inch fell and for twenty days following May 21st there was not a drop. The Legislature, which had wisely provided an emergency fund of $10,000, for the prevention and extinguishment of forest fires, had scarcely adjourned before the great forest conflagra­ tion had started. The Forestry Department was carrying out the provisions of the amended law as rapidly as possible, but not all of the required wardens had been appointed and much remained to be done to complete the system and get it into prac­ tical working order. Thanks to the assistance of large operators and timber land owners, who in most instances were willing to cooperate with the State, sharing the expense and trouble, good men were found and appointed to the duties of fire wardens. 1t seem eel almost incredible that the new system worked so well as it did with the short time allowed for acq\lainting the men with their duties, distributing the necessary blanks, etc. 8 FOREST COM~l lSSIO:\'"ER\; REPOR1'. Thousands of dollars worth of the best timber of the State was endangered by every new fire, but up to the clay of the great gale the wardens with their men recruited from the crews of river drivers, mills and farms, kept the conflagration under control. The gale of June 3rcl with the extreme dryness was more than any number of men could combat. From that elate until June 9th when the drought was broken by a copious rain, occurred the greatest losses to the timberlands. The type of fires with which the wardens had to deal can be divided into three classes, "surface," "ground" and "crown." In most cases the fire began on the surface among the debris of dead leaves and branches from the cuttings of previous seasons furnishing excellent material in which the fire could run. With the ground in such dry condition fire often worked clown among the roots of the trees, burning for clays and cropping out when it was considered practically extinguished. Among the coni­ fers, with their inflammable foliage, surface fires frequently mounted to the tree tops and thus became crown fires. This type is the most dangerous and hardest to control, on account of the great surface offered to combustion, and also because of the powerful draft caused by the rising of the heated air, which fans the flames to uncontrolable fury. FOREST COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. <) FOREST FIRES IN INCORPORATED TOWNS IN 1903. In the general supervision of the forests of the State it has been the aim of the Forestry Department to lend such assistance as comes within its power, to the incorporated towns. While the law relative to incorporated townships takes direct action and authority in the case of forest fires and places the responsibility and care of same upon the selectmen, there are many ways in which the State Forester can work in cooperation and harmony with the town officials, to the betterment and enforcement of all foresty laws. Under the Revised Statutes of 1903 the sections of the forestry laws relating to towns reads as follows: Sec. 52. The selectmen of towns shall be, ex-officio, forest fire wardens therein and shall divide said towns into three dis­ tricts, bounded as far as n1ay be by roads, streams of water, or lot lines, and assign to each of their number the charge and oversight of one district as district fire wardens therein. A description of each district and the name of the fire warden thereof shall be recorded with the town clerk. The services of such selectmen acting as said fire wardens, shall be paid for at the same rate as is paid for their other official services. It shall be the duty of the fire ,varden of the district in which a fire is discovered to take such measures as may be necessary for its control or extinction. For this purpose he shall have authority to call upon any persons in the territory in which he acts for assistance, and such persons shall receive such compensation. not exceeding fifteen cents per hour as said selectmen may determine. the same to be paid by the town. But no town shall be holden to pay for extinguishing forest fires in any year an amount greater than two per cent upon its valuation for purposes of IO taxation. If any person so ordered to assist, and not excused from said service by said forest fire warden on account of sick­ ness, disability or some important business or engagement, shall neglect to comply with any such order he shall forfeit the sum of ten dollars, to be recovered in an action of debt in the name and to the use of the town, by the treasurer thereof.