During the last session of our Legislature, the laws relating to our forest possessions, brought about by public necessity

* Of this amount, 33,801 acres were acquired by condemnation. Of this amount, 255 acres were acquired by condemnation.

were radically amended in several respects, more particularly in relation to protection from fire with especial attention to railroad rights of way and railroad patrols. The particular features of the amended law of most importance are:

First.— Those which provide for the cutting off of limbs from the tops of coniferous trees when felled, that they and the tops may lie flat down on the ground, gather and retain moisture and

soon rot.

Second. For a paid fire patrol.

Third. For the construction of observation stations on mountain tops, and telephone lines through the forest connecting up the stations.

Fourth. That the State pay, in the first instance, all of the expenses of fire fighting, half to be rebated by the towns where fires occur.

Fifth.— Providing that railroad companies pay the whole expense of patrolling their rights of way.

Sixth.— That daily, weekly and monthly reports be made to the department of fires on matters relative thereto.

Seventh.― Making town supervisors part of the fire fighting force. Under this revised law a very satisfactory result has been obtained, which the following statement will show:

"The results of the operation of the new fire law, which was outlined in the Commissioner's office before a conference called for that purpose, December 29, 1908, up to and including November 5, 1909, is as follows:

The total damage amounts to about $25,101. 11,967 acres burned over mostly in old burnings. Of this area, 11,769 acres are private holdings and 198 acres are State land. Over 250 fires have been reported. In the Adirondacks the damage amounted to $10,251; in the Catskills, $12,875. These figures show a total fire loss for each of the sixteen counties in the

forest preserve approximating $1,618.18, as against an average loss for each county of $40,249 last year. In 1908 there were 177,000 acres burned; this year 11,769, nearly all old burnings. In 1908 each fire represented 252.8 acres. Figuring on the present basis of efficiency under the new law, 3.766 fires would have had to occur this year to burn the number of acres 700 fires burned in 1908. In other words, the new system of fire fighting has confined the burned area to 47 acres per fire. The average loss in each forest preserve town this year is only $5.76. Last year it was $4,915.77 per town.

180%

1,303%

Increase in efficiency based on number of fires... Increase in efficiency based on number of acres burned..

Considering the much larger territory to watch and protect, the small total acreage and number of fires are very significant. The actual result has to some extent been affected by different weather conditions in the two years. Owing to the observation stations and a paid fire fighting force this year the fires were gotten at immediately and extinguished, in nearly every case, quickly. They were not allowed to gather headway and burn large areas. On the other hand, it has not been as dry as last year, yet fires burned much later this year than last. Many times, if the old system had been in use, large conflagrations would have ensued. The point is to get at the fire when it

starts.

TOTAL MONEY EXPENDED.

There has been expended during 1909, up to and including November 5th, $40,175.41. This expenditure was divided as

Pay and keeping of laborers and others actually fighting fire

8,412 53

$40,175 41

There should be deducted from this amount one-half of last item, or $4,206.26, charged to towns and to be rebated to State, leaving the State's total expense to November 5th, including cost of telephone lines, observation stations, tools, etc., which are permanent and which will not have to be again provided for, $35.969.15. All told, a fine result justifying the plan and the judgment of the conference of December 29, 1908. In addition, every fire superintendent and patrolman has assisted in enforcing the top lopping law and the forest, fish and game laws generally, bringing about a much better condition in the "forest preserve counties."

The foregoing results seem to justify the law, and it is believed when the whole system is tied together with observation stations and telephone lines, the force well drilled and equipped, and town supervisors are thoroughly awakened to their own responsibilities and duties, our forests will be much safer than heretofore.

Several important legal actions relating to land titles, long pending, all of which were inherited by the present administration and which have been in process of trial and retrial for many years have been disposed of. Notable among them was the Golden action, which affected 35,000 acres of the finest timber land owned by the State. Finally it was settled, clearing up the title to all that land, and making the State's title forever secure. The action of the Saranac Land and Timber Company against the State, defended by the Attorney-General's department, pending twelve or fifteen years, several times tried, once in the United States Supreme Court and finally decided against the State, in the Court of Appeals, on a new point not at first considered, is now pending in the Supreme Court on a new trial granted to the State as a matter of right on the application of the present Attorney-General. This is an important action involving the title to several thousand acres of land on the middle and lower Saranac lakes. Whether originally this case was properly handled and defended or not, whether or not the plaintiff should have had a new trial when the case came back from the United States Supreme Court, is not for us to suggest. Now at least it is in good hands that of the present able Attorney-General — where it will be cared for and defended and the State's interests fully protected. Many other actions have been disposed of, all of which will be set forth in the annual report of Mr. John K. Ward, chief counsel for the department, in his report to the Commissioner, and published in the annual report.

In every report, during the later years at least, attention has been called to the extraordinary importance of our forests. Every day there is additional evidence that all persons appreciate more keenly the necessity of preserving the forest growth on all of the poor land in the State, especially at the source of streams on the steep slopes and mountain tops. The standing timber in the State, of value, is rapidly decreasing. The natural growth is not more than one-fifth of the annual loss. It was entirely proper and natural to clear the rich valley lands and make farms.