The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-16
Miles of Country Converted Into
Lurid Sea.
HOMELESS FAMILIE S
Immense Destruction Of Material in Diff
ifrcnt States.
SUPPOSED LOSS OF LIFE

lake basins has MADE OF tnucu more lupoTtauce IN q
pecuuary sense the vast destruction OF timber which
frequently occurs by confagration than it would have
been Gty or twenty years ago. The districts
which date their occupation by the whites several
risitations, grand and brilliant as they are
and SUCH absence OF for their proven
ton exists that there can be not the slightest
difficulty in any reckless tramp INDUCING In self
ratification like that OF Nero-settng the world AFR
or his especial behooL To the New Yorker who sell
,om perambuatcs farther from broadway than tho
orange Mountain the locns OF Putnam county, the
,bove expression may seem to border too much upon
,yperboe but the columns OF the newspapers for the
past iow years teen with pictures OF stupcndous
Hagrations among the mountains and forests OF ine-
ror sections which threaten popuous cities with their
icll swoop. and frequently as with breath aunhlate
villages and towns.
AN ANNUAL CALAMITY.
Their recurrence has almost become annual
amty, 10 DO anticipated at certain season, but too
olten they break forth twice thrice year, and
lurid mountains in various parts OF the land seem
like sinister beacons OF that returning chaos which
gloomy ~ bills and prophets proclaim. Every autumn,
with but exceptions, witnesses the tr
ampn OF tho flames; and in tho late
spring there is almost always a visitation of
Them scarcely less dire. Dispatches from several
localities in Canada, Northern New York, Vermont
and New Hampshire are now repeating this story in
graphic and thrilling details, Will DO found by
further pcrusal. The communities whose property
snd lives endangered usually reside amid rugged
and unkindy hills and mountains, more or less as yet
unrecaimcd from the virgin ruo OF nature. In tho
forests which cover the greater surface OF these
gous OF brush leaves and dead grass have nc
cumuaed for years undsturbed except by the tread OF
lonely hunter or OF the creature which he pursucs
steep activities exhibiting OF rock than Of soil,
densely thronsed with pines, frs and oaks aud tho
rcsinous debris OF their growth igntcs almost as
readily powder and blazes with terrific fury.
POOR COMMUNITIES
Innumcrabc homestcads, mills hamlets and villages
arc nestled among such surroundings Wild nature
md mild industry exist IN close proximity, and form
pretty pictures OF rcpose and toll The poor in
nabitants, gaming very scanty subsistence
from their hardribbcd acres, cannot afford
TO clear the borders OF the woods IRON
the brush and, as years may havc passed without
calamity, 1t unheraldcd when 1t comes. A school.
boy playing truant and emulatIng Robinson Crusoc
vagrant seeking to cheer his nocturnal solitude, or
hunter cooking his game passing locomotivc-many
lrrcmedablc causes may start the whlrwind OF fire,
then spite Of horror It's progress excitcs it
cems TO run The iul destiny OF i,s course ere !, is
checked. Whole mountains blaze, thousands OF
,omcs converted Into ashes, tho fruits of in
us,ry and signs OF thr oblitcraed and lives some
lines lost.
DIRE vIsirATIoSs
In 1874 forests were aoaze from the Atlantic to the
hssiss'pp Du' most o. me occurred IN
inc autumn. IN 1919 thefe were many IN tue spring
ana summer. Inc mouu'a'h ranges aoout scranton
~, were cpscreu win nf'' anu mo towns OF o'od-
aartsVhie' osceo', "ousoofoush anu Evergreen were
ocsroyea' ihousanus u acfes "ere oiaoSencu ~
inc march OF the iufia heno' ana thIeo mics OF rail-
foad IN fennsy'sh'a were ourheu me 'hhaot-
ants ned before ~ ont some OF them were
oTer'aKcu ana perisheu m'scraoy its breath was
IKE tho simoom o. Sahara' anu us roar was
hko distant thundcr IRAN OF cars was completely
neHneu ~ W INC hames anu lnc passengers were
'ofceu 70 seen sae's W aoanuon'ns ~ iuc murray
atmosphere uafhehcu INC sun auu gave y q o'oou.red
nuc. Housewives were ophsea 70 close tne'r doors
ana w'naows 70 eNcuuo mo cinders anu neat. Deer.
grouse anu par'uecs neu norm ana SOUTH me ioo~-
yea %" sns's :, ""' ''s'o"' anu
already IN 1915 although the season mas not as yet been
very dry, the level forests OF Long Island have been
sblaze Scarcely are The flames there checked when
hc dread visiian appears elsewhere md menaccs the
soodcs OF men.
~,,,,r
NOnAnLhN W." lohh ADLAAr.
pIEE DESTRUCTION OF THE VILLAGE or cLIN-
TON MILLs-pooa CITIZENS gooFLEss. FOOD
LESS AND UScLorHrp-A y,sr MATERIAL,
$50
iDi iILEehAPh ~ THE hEhAhp
ohAAfLAS y L., hay 10 ~"
ine 'onhal'a''on ~h''h mas oeen iHsihe !" 'nis
reSo" oes'n ~ H'sn' - 'e "oous' '"o h''eS
~ess " ''e 'Hass - o"N'on N'"s' SUM person So
nre 70 MASSES "a ury 9rush"oou' ana hsh w'na on
-, ,aa,'as. - MI, !. I -
80, ,,,a ,.,,,.ao - raa,,,,, H., ,no san,, 49,
49,, .,or, ,hroo o,o,ocs NJ ,nn,,os ~. !,
aoams Co wos attacked Iahorers w.ro a..