The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-08-29
Fire in the Forests.

The destruction of forests by fire is lie.
coming too common an occurrence. Such
destruction is, in the majority of cascs said
20 be due to accident in reality it is owing
entirely to carelessness. There ought TO be
laws in every State for the punishment OF
this carelessncss and the laws ought TO be
vigorously enforced.
The excessive heat and dryncss of the
present summer seem TO have made the
woods in the North unusually inhammalle
The forest contlagration in Canada which
has ragged for some time past has not only
threatened Ottawa, the capital city, with de-
etruction, but has rendered some two thou
sand persons homeless. and destroyed num-
Der of lives in addition 10 the immense
amount Of property consumed We hear OF
other fires elsewhere notably, one in the
White Mountains, the heat from which il
said to have greatly diminished the comfort
Of the summer visitors at North Conway
and the neighboring resorts. Another
immense fire il still raging in the woods
near Lake George, after burning for four
On Monday Of last week the passengers on
one of the lake steamers were obliged b.
seek shelter from the burning cindcrs and
bark which the wind blew down ON to the
deck and several ladies on board who did
not GO in soon enough found their gowns
spoiled by holes which the dying sparks had
burHcl through them.
Now these disastrous free can be prevent
ID. They do not belong TO the category OF
events against which man is powcress 70
protect himself Any lightning rod in the
world, for Instance, may prove ineiijctua Ia
guard house or barn against q thunder
bolt but forest fires belong to class OF
casualties very different from tempests and
lightning shocks, There are precautions
capable of adoption which would certainly
preclude the possibility of any such conha
grotions as these we have mentioned.
Many of those great fires originate in
small ones kndlcl for the purpose of clear
ing land by Turning the undcrbrush on
It, In this way have begun most of thos
ly which the timber on the plains of Long
Island has been burned In more than on.
Instance the atmosphere Of this city hai
been darkcned and tho sun ohscured 30 that
1t locked like rcd moon, ly the smoke from
these fires On Long Island, over sixty mile.
away
In this State the burning OF brush hai
been usually subject TO statutory regulation
but the statutes have frequently bccl
changed, at one tine increasing and n
another relaxing the severity Of the penalty
for a violation Of the regulations prescribed
Farmers, however have paid little attention
h. them But in all cases of a disregard o
the statute, and in every instance where
legal Liability can Do enforced against til,
originator OF the fire, no effort should h
spared to secure the remedy which the Law
provides Tor the party injured We are glgc
to hear that suits Will probably be hrough
against the persons on whose lands orig
mated the great Long Island fires OF tn
present year.
There il a curious coincidence in regard t
.ho beginning Of the fires now burning /
New Hampshire and near Lake George /
each case, party of young men from til
tity, having assembled mountain, desired I
inform their friends below of the height I
which they had climbed. 1t being nigh
time, they lighted fire and this spreadin
into the dry undcrbrush and thence TO tn
high timber, thousands Of acres have, i
both instances, been burned over and III
wood upon them destroyed.
Sparks from locomotives area forth, cau'
Of woodland fires along railway routes.
however it has prove. possible to mai
understanding engines, the construct
81 locomotive chimney 30 arranged as