The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-24
A Town Entirely Surrounded by
Fire and Retreat Cut Or
NARROW ESCAPE or THE INHABITANTS.
The Noted Game Region Of Penn
sylvania Swept Over.
Estimated Loss in Dwellings, Mills and
Lumber Over 100000.
sHouoLA. Pa. May 90, ls7

SHoHoLA, Ia, MAY ~ 1870.
Never since the memorable spring OF 1862 has
this region OF country been devastated by forest
fires as during the past week. the rains or Fricay
night and yesterday morning have subdued the
flames; but thousands or acres or woodland
numerous farm buildings numbering villages, tan
neries and sawmills mark their track with
smouldering runs. The fire in the mountains
hereabout appeared week ago to-day IN an in
considerable bush fire. which could easily have
been exnnguished. simultaneously with that
small fre others sprang in every direction, until
the high hills to the west in the direction OF
Blooming Grove, the Sullivan county mount ains
and the lofty range bordering the Delaware River
four miles north and south, were almost solid
sheets OF flame. In this immediate vicinity the
fire was confined to the burning OF timber cord
WOOD, railroad ties, bark, NC, lying in the woods,
and 1t Is estimated that Two thousand acres or
land have been burned over. A hundred men,
fighting the flames night and day, kept them from
sweeping down the mountains TO the settlement,
but were unable to stay their progress through
the woods westward. The farmers in the
valley from Susquehanna Depot TO Port
Jervls over a hundred miles, have been obliged TO
neglect ali farm work for week IN order 10 fight
the fires. The unusual dryness OF the weather
favored the progress OF the connagration, and It
was only the TALL Of rain above mentioned that
cords OF wood and bark, but villages ana dwellings
that stood in the path OF the fires. To-day has
been the first IN nearly a week that the has
appeared other than az dull crimson disk, seen
through the dense clouds OF smoke that lowered
over this section OF country, and last night the
first that watch over villages. farms. mills, &c.
has not been necessary. The air has been filed
with cinders, ana nrebrands in the shape or burn
ing branches have been o constant source or
danger Tor days,
VILLAGE CONSUMED.
Other places have not been fortunate as this.
In Sullivan county. New York, across the river
from this place. settlements in the numbering
woods are more numerous. number OF these
have been destroyed. Friday night the village or
Gman's which had been surrounded for two
days with ire, was almost totally consumed. The
entire population combated the flames success.
fully for forty-eight hours strong wind from
the west then arose which famed the extin-
gulshed nres again into Games and drove the
already furious fire from the back woods rapidly
toward the village. n attempt was made 10 OBJ
tam ala from the Port Jervls Fire Department, but
before word could be carried 10 tnat place lre had
communicated TO one or two dwellings, occupied
by employees OF Gilman's tannery From these the
spread or the connagration was rapid, and IN the
space OF ten minutes after the IRE reached the
settlement the tannery, immense structure,
together with all It's adjacent buildings, the ex-
tensIye sawmill and ten dwellings were In danes.
They were all totally DESTROYED, together with
several hundred thousand ieet OF lumber, $1,000
worth OF leather ana 10000 cords OF bark. The
loss will not be less than $l25,OoO at this one
piece.
tains encifcl'ng the place mad been burning lor
three days, but the few families residing at the
lumber settlement did not feel alarmed Tor tue
consequences until Friday afternoon Some
twenty men were fighting the fre, but the sim
wind that arose toward evening grove the flames
down the mountain with eat velocity and COM
PEELED them 10 abandon the WORK and ny Tor their
lives. Fortunately the mill aud the large amount
OF lumber piled around IL were on the side
OF the stream opposite the advancing danes,
and the fire on the mountains slOplng up
from the mill was driven away nom the
buildings. by Keeping the mill drenched with
water ana eNunguisning the burning branches
that fell thick about IT, L was saved; but 1900
feet OF lumber, piled out on dock In the stream,
were consumed. together with three small build
ines. George Crane, while fighting The nre on
Friday afternoon, was caught beneatn some burn-
not fatally burned before lie could be rescued. .
Ii Is reported that Two tanneries. three saw
mills and a number OF farm houses IN Rockldnd,
sullivan county, we're destroyed on Friday night
A bridge across the east brancn OF the Delaware,
near Snavertown, was also destroyed.
la Wayne county, Pennsylvania, SIX miles rom
Mario sDurn, are ths very extensive steam saw
mills OF Ward Boyd. The village IN which they are
situated Il Eldred containing ABOUT 200 innab.
tants. The mountain fires surrounding this pllce
gradually reuuced the circle, despite the efforts OF
the innaUtants, until they threatened the destTuc-
cur orr ALL RETREAT
from IL. Isolated buildings were consumed and
mucn lumber piled On the outskirts or tue place,
ready 10 be nauled TO the river. The most intense
excitement prevailed IN the village Us
the lire steadily closed IN upon IT, The people be-
came panic-stricken and 1t was with great dlni-
Guilty tnat women and children could be kept from
rushing into the very names 70 IND some way out
or the doomed village. Men hurriedly built back
1resn and, forming bucket lines around the place.
drenched the ground with water. others cleared
away tue space between the approaching IRE and
the village, taxing out the Intervening under
brush and combustiDla stun. IL is doubtful II all
this would have saved the place and its inmates
but a change IN the wind. WhIch came up from the
west Ia almost a gale, turned the course OF the
conhagrauon, and tue village escaped with COM
parattve little damage.
Taylortown, Pike county, Pa. also suffered con-
siderably- The IRE from the woods was driven
by the wind down into the settlement which IS on
ground formerly belonging TO the late Horace
Greeley, and where he established ms unsuccess-
ful Fourierlte society some forty years ago. The
place consisted only of large circular sawmtn
and two or three houses. These were all de-
suoyed, together Win 10000 feet OF manufactured
lumber ana as many logs rue property was
known as the Ballet Mill property, and belonged
80 a Newark hrm, whose loss is about $4,000.
A nerd OF fifteen cows. belonging TO different
farmers around TaylortOwn, which were pastur.
ing IN an old clearing made by the FourIerites,
we're surrounded bv the IRE, and being unable to
escape, were burned up. James HaneJ, who had
been out beyond toe place looking at some wild
run a gauntlet OF nre for two miles the woods be-
ing In names on either sde. HIS horse fell dead a
quarter oil mile from where The road emerged
rom the burning woods and Haney was com
PEELED TO leave ms wagon, In tue bottom Of which
he had been able TO shield himself somewhat from
the heat, and make the rest OF the distance on
foot reaching raylortown just before the mill was
Destroyed almost dead from his terrible expe-
Renee. lie was badly burned.
The nres swept through the western part or this
county with no less fury than that which charac-
terlzed them In the valley. The High Knob,
the oftiest emtnence In Northeastern Pennsyl-
vania, beng two thousand feet above tide was
literally a mountain OF IRE. Tie section OF
which the Knob Is the centre Is IN the noteu
game region OF Pennsylvania, and where the
lands OF the Blooming Grove PARK are
sifuated. IL s a complete wilderness, filed
with bear, deer and other wild game The fires
drove large numbers Of deer from the woods to
tile numerous lakes In the region, ana they even
sought refuge IN the clearngs around farms
on the outskirts OF the wilderness. Near
Blooming Grove village, IN different pastures
ten deer were counted last Friday ieeding with
the cattle. At the village OF Egypt, above Bloom
GrnNe tMn larnn hLack haara a nd threA Nnnnrr