New York (State). Conservation Commission

Chapter 474 of the Laws of 1909 granted the Forest, Fish and Game Commission power to make rules for the prevention of forest fires. The lone commissioner who headed the agency was also empowered to divide lands in the forest preserve counties into fire districts and to appoint a superintendent of fires to oversee each district. Superintendents were in turn authorized to subdivide their districts into separate fire patrol districts and to employ fire patrolmen as the public interest demanded. The commissioner was also directed to "when necessary, provide all proper fire-prevention and fire-fighting apparatus and establish observation stations and employ men to attend them." The commissioner instructed that such observation stations, commonly known as fire towers, be equipped with good topographic maps, set in proper relation to the surrounding country. A field glass was deemed essential, as were telephone communications with the nearest fire patrolmen and subsequently ranger headquarters.

From the description of Forest fire detection map negatives, ca. 1909-1925. (New York State Archives). WorldCat record id: 122379269

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