Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-05-25
The Forest Fires.

cite, Wis. to lshpenning, Mich, a distance
OF la9 miles, the woods, on Wednesday.
were almost continuous blaze, the fire ex-
tending back at some places in the forest
distance OF II to Is miles. About 5000
cords of wood and several small houses were
burned. The loss of pine timber will ag
gregate several hundred thousand dollars.
4 three hours rainfall, Tuesday night,
had the oifsct IN the northern towns of Sara
toga and the contiguous territory in Warren
county. Of checking the forest fires, and the
inhabitants now have them under control.
The less in timber, will foot up over $780,
OOO
While the stCamor G.srcus was passing
through Long Island Sound, on Tuesday
night, the sky being thick with smoke from
the forest fires, it was observed after nine
O'Clock that the air was full Of birds appar-
emily bewildered and in search of a resting
place. Attracted by the glare of the ships
lights. they stored their flight toward the
vessel, and striking against the masts or the
house. fell dead upon the deck. A few of
them were found to be alive. About 200 in
all were picked us on the deck, represent
ing thirteen dilieTezt kinds Of forest birds
During five hours they continued to drop on
the vessel, she going at the time full twelve
knots an hour, and multitudes of the poor
creatures must have persisted in the water.
1t is probable that the birds were driven
from Long Island by the extensive fires.
The Rutland Herald of Wednesday says
A number Of birds, probably driven from
their forest homes by the fires, flew into
town about two O'Clock this morning, at
traeted evidently by the glare of the street
lamps.
We take the following accounts Of the ter
riblc work of the fire, across the Lake. after
it left Clinton Mills, from the Malone Pal
LadiRm
The wind blew iiercely from the west, and
the fires in the woods that brought destruc-
ton TO Clinton Mills were swept eastward,
reaching three tenement houses belonging
to Cbas. Knapp. about SIX miles from
M0Jer's Forks. at about noon These and
Il DdTu were Bt~lTpNfu. Ms TtelurDC6 WIS
saved Next came Dudity's saw mill and
four mil houses, and then S Cannon's
mills 900 logs, 90O.O00 feet of lumber,
, OOG cords of wood. POI. 600 shingles. store,
farming implements, live stock and seven
dwelling houses with their contents. Mr..
Cannon also lost house at this point Wit
nesses OF the approach Of the fire to these
buildings give a vivid description of it.
Mr.. Cannon had cleared 10 the fields about
his property Tor nearly halt mile in every
direction. and there was absOlu ely nothing
in this space to feed the fire except the grass
of clean open field. Yet the flames came
sweeping across this opening in masses
twenty feet high. and made resistance use
less. Furniture removed 10 distance of
thirty rods. and standing in an open field
not in piles. but single pIeces-caught
fire and was destroyed. Barrels of pork
removed rods from the burning. caught fire
and were consumed. Animals were mad
GeDed by the flames and heat. and rushed
wildly INTO the fire and were burned to
death. Mr.. Cannon'S loss Is at least $50,
600, with about IS coo insurance.
Still sweeping eastward it consumed five
houses and the barns belonging to Oliver.
John and Patrick Brisban, and then swept
away Mrs. Waugh's house and barn, and
the single mill, 500 900 shingles, house
and barn of Simeon BayOr, and next a new
VI. E Church, valued at 81 900. and not
yet entirely completed VIM. Armstrong;
house and barn was the next place to go,
and after it &. CJrrau's house, barn, and
new, large carriage and blacksmith shop.
Another carriage and blacksmith shop,
house and barn near by Jared no better, and
then came the Waugh steam lumber mills
and gang water mill, with 900 900 feet OF
lumber, 100000 shingles, large lot OF
logs. houses. barns, etc, which were con-
sumed like so much finder. Judge how
extreme was the heat from the fact that one
hundred green maple logs, hardly touching
each other, were only as shayIngs before
the flames, and are but bed o. ashes
This was the property of ". W. Wood, of
Woods Falls. and could not be replaced
short of $4,000. The insurance is about
S., 900. David Ebare and two sons each
lost house and barn, Thos. Bowles q
house and barn. the Wood Bros, seven coal
kilns and Al, 900 bushels of charcoal, Oliver
Richor and his two sons each a house and
barn, and Peter Matt house and several
barns. Besides these there are eight or ten
others who lost their houses and all their
farm buildings. In all, hardly less than
forty farm dwelling houses were burned.
and these constitute bat small part OF the
loss.
These cold details gave but faint idea
Of the complete and terrible confllgratiOn,
which in few hours swept over territory
at least four miles long by mile and a half
wide, consuming every building In Its
track, destroying standing timber, sawed
lumber, fences. live stock. and most all of
the personal effects of the unfortunate sut-
lerers. The pastures and meadows are
d. IL . 81,
such crops a. are in the ground are burned
so that this formerly fertile district is hard
ly better than desert. A man entirely
familiar with the country assures Us that
the aggregate losses cannot be les than
'lr0 hundred thousand dollars, and that
many OF the losers are LETT entirely destl-
ute.
10 the above. the Palladium appends the
extract from letter from MOoer's
Forks, written by one who witnessed the
Genes described:
Between 50 and 80 houses were destroyed
md as many families rendered homeless
within very few hours. Ii is a terrible
ight-turnltIre, bedding, etc scattered
through the hslis; women and children
unning about nearly crazed having had no
God during the entire day (rue>dayl; men
J ing here and there. nearly sufOcated and
early dead from their oyer-exertiOn. But
cry few had their buildings insured. and
n many farmers the loss comes the heavier
5 their Spring crops were not in and all
be grain, POTATOES, etc.. which they had
ayed for that purpose, are destroyed. PeO-
lie from this and adjoining towns have been
provisions To supply them for the
resent.