Smyrna times., 1880-05-19

FOREST FIREs-It is hardly exageration to say that
the forest fires have LAID waste the best and largest
strange picture of the battles of the farmers with the
flames. The fires three weeks ago left space of over
Two hundred square miles bhre and black and during
the last ten days the flames have almost wholly COW
cred the spaces of woodland and farms of which Aco
Wheatland. Centreville, Medford and Longacoming
are the centres. The sea coast of New Jersey has
belt about fifteen miles in BREADTH running back from
the shore of scrub oak and pines growing out of dry
wh!e SAND, which IS covered usually with dead moss
which burns like cotton. After drOuth of q few
weeks this forest becomes dry as tnder, and single
spark Is enough TO set in motion frlghtu conagra-
ton. The inhabitants of the Pines" are as rule,
charcoalburners and poor farmers, who in the best
OF times, barely earn subsistence from their little
patches. These are the people who have been left
homeless by the fires Nearer the coastare the fishing
villages and the line of great Summer cities, all piles
of lumber, less ornamental and offering food
ready for the flames.
The destruction of trees and crops by fire gives
us no idea of the actna loss Cranberry bogs to the
value of 100000 are destroyed; the young people
throughout the whole pine region depend upon pick
ing cranberries and huckleberrcs for their Summer
support, the latter crop, and it has been estimated
yielding employment to over 10000 women and chill
dren. The fishing villages and sporting stationsa along
the coast almost wholly dependent on the game in
the marshes which attracts visitors from the cities in
! Summer now the marshes as well as the woods are
q blackened waste, and dead birds and animals
strew the ground by the thousand" 1t will require
twenty years for the growth of trees and vegetation
necessarily slow in that chilled atmosphere to repair
the damage of the last month. In Pennsylvania the
region. We read of 5000 and 20000-gallOn oil tanks
in fames yet it is doubtful whethsr these enormous
the burning of the poor cabins and patches of the
| Jersey crabber and charcoal burner.
Most of these fires produced not by sparks from
passing engines, as is usually supposed, but by the
careleSSneSS of the farmers themselves who in New
Jersey follow the old fashion of burning off the stub
BILE and dry grass before poughng If this last exper
ience does not teach them prudence, the case is hope
| less.-N. Y. Tribune.
THE NEW BISHOPS AND EDITORS In the Methodist
| General Conference at Cincinnati on Wednesday, Il
resolution adopted approving the project of hold
ing an Ecumencal Council i'll London in 1881, and
looking to the appointment of at least three Bishops
as delegates. In the afternoon the four new Bishops
| recommended by the Committee ,ere elected by the
of the Wesleyan University at Mddletown, Conn: Dr.
John +. Hurst Presidant of the Drew Theological
Seminary, n. j.. DR.. Henry W. Warren of TIE Arch
Street Church, Philadelphia; and Dr. +. o. Haven
Fowler editor of the Christian AdUOcdte elected
as one of the Missionary Secretaries also Rev. Dr.
NJ Red, the present incumbent. Friday the election
for editors resulted follows; For the Christian AdUO
cate, of New York, J. NJ. Buckley for the QudrtcTll
Revie,g, ID. D. Wheedon; for editor of the sunday
school publications, and Secretary of the Sunday
School and Tract Societies. J. II. Vincent; for editor
of the Western Christian AdUOcdte. at Cincinnati F. 5
Hoyt Pittsburg Christian AdrOcdte, Alfred Wheeler
Northwestern Christian AdrOcdte Arthur Edwards
To-day was fixed as the day for the consecraton o
the newly-eected bishops and committee ap
pointed to arrange suitable place. The EpiscOpa
committee recommended the election of an addtionG
cOlOred bishop.
Cincinnati. hoy 15.-The General Conference to-da!
elected benjamin ST. James Fry editor Of the Contra
ChrtStiCH 4dgOcdte at st. Louis. The committee OF
the book concern reported, recommending furthc
poStpOnemen of the election of editors for the preSen
and the report was adopted. The committee also re
ported IN favor OF dlsCOntlnuance OF the publication
Otthe National Repository and Golden Hours This wa
laid on the table to enable Dr. Curry TO present pie
for the Repository The commit also reported rec
Ommending that the deficiency of Sl20,0O0 in tn
Episcopal fund be charged TO profit and loss by tn
book concern adopted.