Scouting, Volume 8, Number 4, February 12, 1920 Page: 6
16 p. : ill. ; 31 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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SCOUTING, FEBRUARY 12, 1920
to enter what had been a delightul wood-
land nook and to find many trees scarred
by purposeless hacking, others half-
chopped through, and lying on the ground
one or two mangled logs, which boys had
cut down and then lazily abandoned.
Such vandalism must never be caused by
a troop of boy scouts.
Courtesy Begets Courtesy
THE following letter from John
J, Blaire, Attorney-General of Wis-
consin, carries a vital message to every
scout leader:
"Wisconsin has many delightful parks,
streams, thousands of lakes, prairies,
vales, and hillsides, and they are all free
to the proper use of those who enjoy out-
door recreation.
"While trespassing is generally con-
demned, yet if the usual and ordinary
human courtesies are shown toward the
citizens of the state, and the private own-
ers of lands, with due consideration for
all wild life and game, there is no inter-
ference on the part of private owners, and
every one is quite welcome to enjoy the
beauties of Wisconsin without molesta-
tion.
"All that is asked is the usual, ordinary
consideration for the rights of others,
proper conduct, care in the starting of
fires, except those cases especially pro-
vided for, when extraordinary care must
be observed, even to the extent of not
starting fires at all.
"Occasionally there will be found some
individual who erects a barb wire fence
with notice to 'Keep Off,' but those in-
dividuals are few in comparison with the
great number of people who extend the
hearty hand of fellowship to those desir-
ing outdoor recreation.
Typical Letters
While excellent detailed replies were
received from the Attorney Generals of
most of the states, the two letters given
below are perhaps the most complete in
their information. While the laws, as
stated therein, apply specially only in
Ohio and in Pennsylvania, they are prob-
ably typical of all state laws on these
subj ects:
State of Ohio, Office of the Attorney
General, Columbus.
October 22, 1919.
Editor of Scouting,
200 Fifth Avenue,
New York City.
Dear Sir:
Section 13397, General Code of Ohio,
relating to the use and building of fires
on public highways or lands adjacent
thereto, provides in part:
" Whoever, being a gypsy, wanderer,
traveler or other person, camps in a tent,
wagon or otherwise, or builds, makes or
starts a fire on the public highway or
lands adjacent thereto without first hav-
ing obtained the written consent of the
agent, manager or owner of the land
abutting on such highway where such
camp or fire is made," shall be punished
as therein provided.
Section 12529 makes it an offense for
the owner of a shanty-boat to anchor, tie
or beach it upon the real estate of an-
other along a creek or river, unless in
case of distress, or for a longer period
than thirty-six hours, without the per-
mission of the owner or agent of such
real estate.
Section 12522 may also be quoted in
this connection. This section provides
in part that:
" Whoever being about to enter unlaw-
fully upon the lands or premises of an-
other, is forbidden so to do by the owner
* * * or being unlawfully upon the
lands or premises of another, is notified
to depart therefrom by the owner
* * * and thereafter enters upon such
lands or premises, or neglects or refuses
to depart therefrom, shall be fined not
less than one dollar nor more than five
dollars."
Section 15306 makes it an offence to
so trespass upon lands owned or con-
trolled by the state, and is of the same
character and need not be quoted in full
Section 12455 in part provides:
"Whoever saws, * * * cuts down
timber * *' * upon the lands of an-
other or lands of the state, or unlawfully
takes * * * saw-logs, * * *' or
timber of any value, or unlawfully digs
up * * * or carries away from the
lands of another a cultivated root * * *
or other vegetable production with intent
to injure the owner of said lands in his
property or to defraud him" shall be
punished in the manner provided in that
section by a penalty varying according to
the value of the property or injury done.
(Signed) John G. Price,
Attorney General.
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, De-
partment of the Attorney General,
Harrisburg.
October 30, 1919.
Editor of Scouting,
New York City.
Dear Sir:
I am in receipt of your communication
of the 17th inst. asking for a statement
of the law of this Commonwealth on cer-
tain subjects of direct interest to the Boy
Scouts in Pennsylvania. I am glad to
comply with this request, as well as with
any other that you may see fit to make
in the future for the benefit of the Boy
Scout organizations.
Laws Affecting the Building and
Control of Camp Fires
(a) On Private Lands:
A camp fire cannot legally be built on
any land without the consent of the
owner or the person in possession. A
person who builds a fire without such
consent exposes himself to the possibility
of a civil action for any damages which
the fire occasions. If a fire be built on
woodlands without the consent of the
owner, the person starting the fire sub-
jects himself not only to a civil action for
damages, but also to a criminal prosecu-
tion carrying a maximum fine of $1,000 or
a maximum imprisonment of six months,
or both at the discretion of the court.
No fire should be kindled on the land
of another, therefore, without consent be-
ing first obtained.
The greatest care should be at all times
exercised that fires started, even with
such consent, be kept continually under
control, for it is a crime in this Com-
monwealth not only to wilfully and negli-
gently set any woodlands on fire, but even
to permit fire to be communicated to
woodlands. No person may carry a lighted
candle or torch through any woodlands
unless the same be secured in a lantern or
closed vessel.
It is also unlawful to burn any fagots,
stumps, logs, brush, dried grass, fallen
timber or tree tops from the first day of
April to the twentieth day of May, and
from the tenth day of September to the
tenth day of November on any forest
lands in the Commonwealth where there
are producing oil or gas wells, or having
rigs erected for the drilling of such wells,
unless the following conditions be ob-
served : Permission of the local Forest
Warden must be secured; the Forest
Warden must be present when the fire
is started; the fire must not be started
during a strong wind; the fire must not
be started unless sufficient help is present
at all times to control the same; and the
fire must be watched by the persons start-
ing it until extinguished.
(b) Public Lands:
Certain wooded areas in the Common-
wealth have been declared by the au-
thorized State officials to be State For-
est Reserves, and certain requirements
are imposed upon persons entering and
using such Reserves. No open camp fires
can be built except in a hole or pit en-
circled by earth, and such fires must be
carefully guarded and must be extin-
guished before the last member of the
party leaves the locality.
The Use of Wood
In strict contemplation of law, all wood
on private property belongs to the owner
of such property and cannot be used
without such owner's consent.
Persons securing the_ privilege of the
State forests are permitted to use dead
and fallen timber.
(Continued on page 13)
4-:- *mm -'MY'.
" VSilr y WELCOME
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 8, Number 4, February 12, 1920, periodical, February 12, 1920; New York, New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth283134/m1/6/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.