Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-05-23
The Forest Fires.

iourned without acting on the bill,
The Forest Fires.
A graphic account and valuable fur-
tber particulars of the forest fire III the
region about Port Jervis, n. l., are CIV
en- in dispatches from that station.
On the opposite side of the Delaware
river in Pike county, Pennsylvania, the
fires covering territory seven miles IN ex-
tent. are sweeping over some OF the best
land in the section They are back on
a high range of hills. Buildings, fences,
meadows, timber, crops and everything
in the track of the fire are being swept
away. All opposition to the advance OF
the flames is useless. In Porter town
shin in Pike county, especially, the fires
are LAYING a vast area waste. A portion
of the land burning over belongs to
the Blooming Grove Park Association
and a large quantity of wild game has
been DESTROYED. That famous hunters
retreat. the hotel of Pete" Henry, at
Porters Lake, has been reducedt to ashes,
toUctber with the numerous Outhouses,
and large quantities of fishing and hunt
ing tackle. The amount Of damage IN
this township alone will reach from
@15. 600 to $25, 900.
On the western boundary of Pike Co.,
the greatest damage has been done
Twelve large steam saw mills have bene
DESTROYED and many dwelling houses,
The Timber camp of Dodge 81 Meigs.
containing several million feet Of lumber
has been burned, the inmates OF the
cabins narrowly escaping with their lives;
At Wagonhurt's, Callahan's, and
Downing's settlements nothing is left
but charred and smoking ruins. Dozens
of families have been compelled to flee
for their lives before the flames, and
tbe greatest suffering exists among
them. Two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars will not pay the losses III this
section. All the mills left in the vicin-
itv are idle, the men being needed to
fight fire.
In WAYNE county, Pa, the fires have
compelled the suspension of coal trans
DOrtatiOn over the Delaware u Hudson
Canal COmpany's railroad leading from
the mines to Honesdale, and the great
est CONSERVATION exists among the
jewellers along the line. In the vicinity
Of Wavmart fires dangerously close to
the village. and defying all attempts to
cOnfne them to certain limits, are re-
ported as raging. The lumber villages
of Carter and Gould, Pa, have been al
most totally destroyed, only three houses
remaining in the two places. The vii
I Iares were close together, and divided
bv a small stream. The fires swept
down upon them from the mountains
overlooking the places. So rapid was
the advance Of the flames that the IN
habitants had to run for their lives.
/ mi E,-r+ 10 nn1
place thought to offer any security
arainst the fire. upon the thousands OF
/ loes which were living in the mill pond
near one of the villages. but it was soon
found that the post must be deserted.
4 short time after the LOGS took fire and
BURNED. The mill was then the farthest
away and the safest place, and in and
about this the terrified pOpulace huddled
| like sheep Several times the building
was on fire. but the flames were eXtin-
guishcd and it escaped the general con-
flagratiOn.
Sussex county, \. J., and Delaware
and Sullivan counties, n. Y. and Mum
roe county, Pa. are still being swept
/ over by the forest fires. and the losses
are represented by many millions. The
/ fires were preceded by an extensive
drought For over four weeks not a
| drop of rain bad fallen. The streams
! were as low MS midsummer and every
/ thing bore a withcrcd, thirsty look The
/ Delaware river could be waded at Port
/ Jcrvis without wetting ones knees.
Later dispatches report heavy rains.
! the prospect of the end of the fearful
/ fiery season. The territory covered by
! the fires includes the ShaWanunk noun
tains east of Port Jervis, the Pennsyl-
vania mountains and the Blue Ridge,
! down the Delaware on the Jersey side.
/ The greatest damage has been done in
! Pike county PENNSYLVANIA. over an area
/ of country about six miles long and a
mile wide, although in other sections the
/ injury has been great and the hardships
/ keen.
In what are known as the Pomona
woods no less than $4,000 acres Of land
| have been laid waste. at a loss in timber
/ alone of a quarter of million of dol
/ lars. The fires along the Lehigh river
were started by the sparks Of an engine.
/ Miles of fences have been torn down to
! prevent the fire spreading by them to
unburncd territory. The heat from the
/ fires is oppressive for a great distance.
/ Scranton, Pa. specials state that the
/ damages at TUbyhanna alone is over
/ $500 Three miles of the track Of
the Pennsylvania Coal Companys GRAY
/ ity road is also destroyed, which will en-
tirely stop work in all their mines at
Pittston for a week.