The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-06-29
Surrounded by Fire.

ONA
TT WAS in the last week of June, 1ST9
i left Gorher, new mining town on
the East fork of the Grand Pie, a place
which takes its name from the peculiar
shape of the mountains which surround
it, to prospect on the west side of the
main range as for north as Eagle Pine.
We left Gother by trail leading north
up Copper Creek, which heads in the
Maroon mountains opposite the head of
creek of the stme name which flows
north into the Roaring Fork of the
Grand Pie. Much as / love the grand
old Sierras, the span called Maroon
mountains has, to me, something pecu-
liarly attractive about it, being nearly
as high as the highest peaks in the
range. 1t takes its name from the color
of the rock of which it is composed,
being above timber of bright maroon
color, interspersed with lighter-colored
strata, which dips slightly to the west.
The inroads of time and the decompos-
ing elements have worn away the rock,
leaving the distant peaks in the shape
of pyramids, steeples, domes and towers
which compare in beauty and grandeur
with the finest architectural work of
human hands.
1t being late when left Gother did
not cross the divide over on to Maroon
creek until the next morning. While
on the range above timber line 1 dis
covered that the timber was on fire six
or eight miles lower down the creek.
Our party pushed along as fast as the
unfavorable condition of the trail and
country would permit. Toward the
middle of the afternoon we went into
camp in a little willowy flat about three
fourth of mile from where the fire was
sweeping everything before it. The fire
was much nearer to us on the east side
of the stream than on the west, SO l
started down on the west side to see
what the chances were for getting
through below it. We had not gone
very far when discovered that the fire
had crossed the creek behind us, and
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to prevent being surrounded. By the
next morning the fire had sufficiently
consumed the timber along the stream
so that it was possible to get below it,
and we travelled along for several miles
down the canyon, when we discovered
another burning district below us. We
came to another willowy fiat of about an
acre at noon, so we unpacked our ami
mails to give them a chance to Craze,
while we ate lunch preparatory to
pushing our way through and beyond the
fire. After stopping an hour or so, we
saddled up and started. Matters at first
seemed favorable, as the wind had gone
down and the fire did not seem to be as
furious as it was short time before.
When we left camp our trail led along
the side of the mountain, little way
from the creek, which entered narrow
defile below us. Before we had gone
half mile we got into the fire, which
had first fed upon the fallen timber and
dead trees, the latter constantly falling
around us. The ground in places was
covered with dry pine leaves and boughs
to the depth of four or five inches,
which were soon in flames, and 80 burn
ed our horses feet that l thought best to
dismount and go it on foot. We travel
ed as fast as we could, hoping to get
past the fire as Boon as possible. The
heat was growing intense, and it soon
became 40 hot for us we could 90 no
farther. We concluded to grin and bear
it until it had burned itself out, but
suddenly the wind sprang up, and in an
instant almost everything seemed aglow
with fire. The place where we stood,
and which before was bed of shoulder
ing embers, now became Kissing,