CIHM Microfiche Series (f\/lGnographs) ICMH Collection de microfiches (monographies) Canadian Institute for Historical Microraproductions / Institut Canadian da microraproductions historiquas Technical and Bibliographic Notes / Notes techniques et bibllographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming are checked below. Q D D D D D D D D D D D Coloured covers / Couverture de couleur Covers damaged / Couverture endommag^ Covers restored and/or laminated / Couverture restaur^ et/ou pellicula Cover title missing / Le titre de couverture manque Coloured maps / Cartes g6ographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black) / Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations / Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material / Reli6 avec d'autres documents Only edition available / Seule Edition disponible Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin / La reliure serr6e peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distorsion le long de la marge int^rieure. Blank leaves added during restorations may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming / Use peut que certaines pages blanches ajout^es lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela dtait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6X6 filmdes. Additional comments / Commentaires suppldmentaires: L'Institut a microfilm6 le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exem- plaire qui sont peut-6tre uniques du point de vue bibli- ographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modiffcation dans la m6tho- de normale de filmage sont indiqu^s ci-dessous. I I Coloured pages / Pages de couleur I I Pages damaged / Pages endommag6es □ Pages restored and/or laminated / Pages restaur^s et/ou pellicul6es Pages discoloured, stained or foxed / Pages dteolor^s, tachet^es ou piques I I Pages detached / Pages d6tach6es [v/| Showthrough/ Transparence □ Quality of print varies / Quality in^gale de I'impression Includes supplementary material / Comprend du mat6riel suppl6mentaire Pages wholly or partially obscured by en-ata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image / Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont ^t6 film6es ^ nouveau de iagon k obtenir la meilleure image possible. Opposing pages with varying colouration or discolourations are filmed twice to ensure the best possible image / Les pages s'opposant ayant des colorations variables ou des d6colorations sont film6es deux fois afin d'obtenir la meilleure image possible. D This Hwn la f llmad at tha raduction ratio chaekad balow / Ca doeumant aat film* au taux da rMuetion indiqu* el-daaaoua. lOx 14x 18x 22x 26x 30x y 12x 16x 20x a4x 28x 32x Th« copy filmed h«r* ha* b««n raproducad thanks to tha ganarosity of: UniversKy of British Columbia Library Vancouver Tha imagat appaaring hara ara tha bast quality possibia considaring tha condition and lagibility of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha filming contract apacificationa. Original copias in printad papar eovar* ara fllmad beginning with tha front covar and anding on tha last paga with a printad or iilustratad impras- sion, or tha back covar whan appropHata. All othar original copias »f filmad beginning on tha first paga with a printad or iilustratad impraa- aion, and anding on tha last paga with a printad or illuatratad impraaaion. Tha last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain tha symbol "^ (meening "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol ▼ (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Maps, plates, charts, etc.. may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one expoaura are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: 1 2 3 1 2 4 5 L'«x«mplaire film* fut reproduit grice A la gAntrositA de: University of British Columbia Library Vancouver Las imagas tuivantas ont itt raproduites avec la plus grand soin. compta tanu da la condition at da la nanat* da I'axamplaira film*, at an conformity avac las conditions du contrat da filmaga. Las axamplatras originaux dont la couvartura an papiar ast ImprimAa sont filmis an commancant par la pramiar plat at an tarminant soit par la darni4ra paga qui comporta una amprainte d'imprassion ou d'illustration, soit par la second plat, salon la cas. Tous las autras axamplairas originaux sont filmte nn commanpant par la pramiAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'imprassion ou d'illustration at an tarminant par la darniira paga qui comporta una talla amprainta. Un doa symbolas suivants app. raitra sur la darniira imaga da chaqua microficha. salon la cas: la symbols ^^- signifia "A SUIVRE". la symbols V signifia "FIN". Laa cartas, planchas. tabiaaux. ate. pauvant itte filmAs A das taux da reduction diff grants. Lorsqua la documant ast trop grand pour fttra raproduit an un saul cliche, il ast filmA A partir da I'angla supAriaur gaucha. da gaucha i droite. at da haut an baa, an pranant la nombra d'imagas nicassaira. Las diagrammas suivants iilustrant la mithoda. 2 3 5 6 MiaoCOfY KESOIUTION TBT CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No 2) ^ ^PPUEDjiyHGE Inc .^Ss '653 Ea,l Mo,n slT^, " " \ U.B.C. L ,!B«ary •; "' Commission of Coni&tsfrmiioa. CANADA TfiT-r ^jDh±!' n^ COMMITTEE ON FORESTS Fire Protection from the Standpoint of the Railways V A.D. MacTier Gtntral Man^fit, Canadian Pac^ Raihmy, Eomtn lines Reprinted from ti«Sfldh .nmid Report cf dw V ConvMH-vn of Coracrvation OTTAWA--I9I5 MfeWiA«MH«*^ n^^^^ljmm^''?^^.*-' Commission of Conservation CANADA COMMITTEE ON FORESTS Fire Protection from the Standpoint of the Railways By A. D. MacTier General Manager, Canadian Pacific Railway, Eastern Lines Reprinted from the Sixth Annual Report of the Commission of Conservation OTTAWA-I9I5 L_ Fire Protection from the Standpoint of the Railways ; DEFORE I proceed to read some of the notes that I have pre- *-* pared I would like to take the opportunity of endorsing, from the point of view of the Canadian Pacific railway as far as I know it on the eastern lines, the Chairman's remarks with regard to Mr. Leavitt. I do not mean to say for a moment that Mr. Leavitt and I have always seen eye to eye. My memory carries me back to one or two occasions when we did not ; but I will say that Mr. Leavitt has tried, or at least he has been clever enough to ^nve me the impression that he tried to be fair about the propositions, and that, I think, is all the Commission desires of him. The realization and appreciation of the value of the Canadian forests has brought to our attention the necessity of their con- servation, through fire protection. There is also the growing re- alization that only through proper handling will forests repro luce themselves ; and the vital factor in conservation is the eliminaiion of the causes which result in the enormous damage done by fire. No other agency has aflected the growth of Canada's forests as has fire. Various statistics show that the amount of timber destroyed by forest fires has been from two to five times the value of that u J for commercial purposes. For many years practicallv all fires, and the re- sultant damage, were attributed to the railways. In the report! showing "causes of firer" railways were always at the top, and Id the rest by a wide margin. This analysis was not combatted by the railways, and little attempt was made to show the relative amount of damage done by fires caused by different agencies. Any indiflerence on the part of railway officials and employees, which may possibly have existed years ago, has been eradicated, and the attitude to-day of those responsible for *^he management of the Canadian Pacific railway is entirely different. To enable a proper diagnosis of the railway fire situation to be made, a study was made of the fires which occurred on or within five miles of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company s lines during the Railways and Forest Fires 4 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION fire season of 1914. The results show that, of the fires reported, sixty-five per cent started on. or along the company's lines within the 600-foot liability zone. Of the fiws which had their origin on. or near, the rights-of-way. more than ninety-five per cent were im- mediately put out without having caused any damage. In only one ca.se of absolutely known company origin was any material damage occasioned outside of the rights-of-way. This was caused by sec- tionmen burning dibris and refuse when the weather conditions were unfavourable. All fires within the zone of the railway com- pany's responsibility were extinguished, regardless of whether started by the railway or not. It must also be remembered that, in the more thickly Rights-of-Wty wooded districts, and in those sections where settle- U8ed.sHiBhw.yi ^^^^ .^ ^^^^ or less scattered, the railway rights-of- way are used as highways by farmers, settlers, hunters, fishermen, and others, who travel back and forth constantly. Then too, the tramp nuisance is always with us. These people have the reputa- tion of being extremely careless, and there is little doubt that to this carelessness may be traced the origin of many fires on the railway rights-of-way. The remaining thirty-five per cent of reported fires were started outside of the 600-foot zone, and away from the railway rights-of-way, their origin being due probably to the carelessness of settlers, lum- bermen and others, and were in very few cases handled by any local bodies or by forest rangers. No Government organizations exist apparently to handle fires which occur in the districts now being settled, and which are situated immediately between our lines and vast bodies of merchantable timber. Two examples of these fires may be cited : On or about May 18th 1914. a fire was started three miles north of the track in the direction of Blind river, near mileage 52 — Algoma subdivision. This fire caused a loss of over $20,000 as shown by the owners. There is little doubt but that this fire had its origin along a river driver's trail. The timber holders themselves put it out, but at an excessive cost. On the same day. Mav 18th, 1914. another fire was started by a farmer, near Camneau, on the Laurentian subdivision, to bum some brush. The fire got beyond his control and did a tremendous amount of damage. Our section-house at Campeau was destroyed, together with the household effects of the sectionmen's families. The appraisal of the loss has not yet been received. Rain alone put this fire out, though we endeavoured to protect our property. :5 FOREST FIRE PROTECTION- BY R A f L W A V S 5 The activities of the Canadian I'.ici(ic Railway Company in providinj^ lor fire protection alon^ its lines may be briefly summarized as follows : 1. All inflammable ddhris and brush have been cleart from the rijjhts-of-way and the company's property. This not only reduces the possibilities of fires jjettin^ started, but it al-o assists in i ardin^ their proRress, in case a fire is started. 2. A system of inspection of front ends and ash-pans of locomotives guarantees the maintenance of this equipment up to standard specifications This inspection vvhich is very thorough, reduces to a minimum the pc : : Hy of fire from locomotives. i. Engine employees are not alloweu .i. drop live coals, ashes and fire, except in specially provided pits. Care must be taken with burning and smouldering waste. 4. Special authority is required from the roadmaster before burning is allowed on the rights-of way. 5. ReirJar patroL are provided in the thickly wooded dis- tricts. These men constantly patrol their districts, keeping close watch over the company lines, as well as adjoining lands. Special patrols are added in certain districts when droughts occur. 6. All sectionmen, extra gang-men. trainmen, bridge- etc, are constantly on guard against tenders, track- walkers, fire. 7. Fires of any m superintendent, who . local inspector of the b /nitrde a, . immediately reported to the .. es provision for their handling. The 1 is notified if a fire threatens to cause any considerable ar,,ount of damage. The superintendent also advises the lo A provincial fire officer. ? On siRi :,'■,- a fire, engine-men must notify the next seo^- .j'ang passed of its existence, by a series of whistles. This section-crew will immediately go to the scene of the fire, and use every eflort to put it out. 9. A system of inspection of patrols furnished, takes place regularly. 10. By bulletins, s-..pplements and by letters, a campaign of education is carried on among officers and employees, with the idea of making clear the importance of reducing the fire loss. 11. Lumbermen and other timber-owners have been re quested to cle-r up debris and slash adjacent to the company rights-of-way. COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION As has been already mentioned, in spite of an unprecedentedly long, dry season following immediately after the snow had disap- peared, the results of our fire-prevention service for the past year show that but one fire proven to have originated on the property of the railway company, got off the right-of-way and did any con- siderable damage. We are, however, settling some claims where our records are not good, and our liability, therefore, doubtful, and we have yet one large claim in dispute. The condition of the country which adjoins the Difficulties to company's lines, caused by frequent fires, luraber- be Overcome ^^^^ road-builders, etc.. renders difficult any system of economical fire-fighting, after a fire is once under way. Slash and dibris have been allowed to accumulate for years, and no attempt has ever been made to handle it. Timber properties are being logged by the same methods that have been in use for years. Every at- tempt at legislation along this line has been fought off by settlers and lumbermen ; the claim has always been that the lumber busmess could not stand the extra expense necessary to pile or burn brush. This hardly seems justified, in the face of the increasing value of stumpage accruing to the Governments concerned. Much of the work of forest fire prevention is in the SetUers* j^ands of the settlers of the district. That they may Responsi ity ^j^pon^piish this object two precautions are necessary. First, it is necessary that they use judgment in the time at which to bum'the slash which has accumulated through clearing of property. Laws relative to this have been almost entirely disregarded in the past. Until 1914, notwithstanding that the existing laws were broken, prosecutions were rarely attempted. Fire protection as- sociations, which are composed mainly of timber-holders, have done much more in this regard than any local government has. Secondly, as the prosperity of many villages is tied up in the local lumber industry, this fact should be made plain to the surrounding settlers, and local organizations could be developed in the villages to fight fires. Some such system is now being devised in the state of Maine. In all villages within forest districts a small fire-fighting equipment should be kept in a convenient place. The police officer should also be an authorized fire warden and should take charge m case of fire. the The fact that logging operations are usually over in Lumberman the spring and do not start until autumn is generally C«n Do advanced to show that lumbermen are rarely respon- sible for forest fires. However, driving operations continue all through the spring and into the summer months, and it has been FOREST FIRE PROTECTION BY RAILWAYS absolutely proven that a number of the damaging fires in 1914 were started by men engaged in this work. Smudges are set out and small noon-day camp fires are made, which, unless carefully extin- guished, are likely to cause trouble. During extreme droughts men should not be allowed to smoke in the woods. This will not entail any great hardship ; it is already required of many wood-surveying parties. Where timber properties adjoin railways and highways, a strip of from one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet should be cleared on either side. Lumbermen should also educate their employees to the importance of fire pro- tection of timber. Small villages, which are situated in timber areas, and, conse- quently, in immediate danger from forest fires, should insist upon the clearing away of the debris and brush by which they are sur- rounded, and which constitute such a serious fire menace. What Can ^^ ^^ necessary that the fire danger zone be localized Governments and a definite and effective remedy be applied to the fire menace. It is recommended that a proportion of the amount annually appropriated for forest fire protection purposes should be put into permanent improvements, such as telephone lines, trails and lookout stations. High points along the Laurentian mountains, especially in the vicinity of Mont Laurier and Nomining, connected up with the local villages, would prove a good investment. This policy is now being pursued by the Provincial Government in British Columbia, also in the western forests of the United States and in portions of the New England states. The state of Maine has a very fine system of lookout stations on the high mountains along the Canadian Pacific Railway Co.'s lines. On the Ottawa river, near Timiskaming, exceptional advantages are offered for the location of lookout stations. Telephone lines could be constructed and maintained cheaply. Timber-lands are made accessible by the splendid water routes there, and mobile fire- fighting equipment, such as that provided by gasolene boats, could be brought into service. The following legislation, which forces property holders to clean up their premises, is on the statute books in Minnesota, and similar legislation is to be attempted this winter in the state of Maine : "Where and whenever in the judgment of the State Forester or District Ranger there is or may be danger of starting and spreading of fires from slashings and dibris from the cutting of timber of any kind and for any purpose, the State Forester or District Ranger shall order the individual, firm or corporation, by whom the said timber 8 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION has been or is being cut, to dispose of the slashings and dibris as he may direct. Where conditions do not permit the burning of the slashings and dibris over the entire area so covered, the State Forester may require the person, firm or corporation by whom the timber was cut, to dispose of such slashings and debris in such a way as to establish a safe fire line around the area requiring such pro- tection, the said fire line to be of a width and of a character satis- factory to the State." "When any person, firm or corporation shall have been notified by the State Forester or District Ranger to dispose of slashings and dibris, either by entirely consuming the same or establishing a fire line sufficient for the protection of adjoining property, and fails to comply with such instructions, the said person, firm or corporation shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanour, and on conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) and not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100.00) and costs of prosecution for each violation thereof or failure to comply therewith." While the railways in the past may have been to blame, at the same time, they have done a very considerable amount of fire pro- tection work. I believe it is now the duty of some one else to assist in the work, and it is really that point which I wish to bring out, namely : that somebody, possibly the Conservation Commission, should be able to briiH' pressure to bear in some direction on the governments interested to continue the work which has been started and of which we (the Canadian Pacific Railway Co.) think we have done our portion so far. I do not say that we are perfect ; I do not believe we are ; but I think we are ahead of some other interests in connection with fire protection.