Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-05-23
BLAZING FORESTS.

Towns and Cities in Pennsylvanta' Ne"
York. Maryland and New jersey ihreat.
aned with Observation-Disclosures OF
a.r.. Rurncd Oyer-Great Loss OF Lie
Feared.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, May S.-The atmos-
rhoro in this CITY is thick with the smoke
from forest fires, which are sweeping over
the more westerly portion OF the state. "A
disnatch from Easton says the mountain
fires in that section are assuming alarming
proportions, and hundreds OF people are
ont fighting them on the north side OF Blue
Mountains, near Wind Gap, and on the
Pocono Mountains. Yesterday after
noon a FIRE broke out in the woods
near Penargyl, and is still burning
furiously, The woods are very dry, and
leaves, lying thick i'll the low stubble, give
the flames abundant material to feed on
This fire is a quarter Of a mile west OF Pen
argyll. and is burning toward the town.
There is no serious danger of the place
catching. however, unless the wind increases
in violence and carries the sparks to the
houses. The smoke in all this section is
terrible and people can hardly breathe.
They go about with handker-
chiefs over their eyes and faces. Lights
are scarcely visible half a square off. The
Poeono Mountains are on fire in many
places, and the flames are raging fercely,
especially OH the top of the range. The
track of the Delaware, Lackawanna &
Western Road is surrounded for a distance
of -four or five miles, and the passengers en-
perlence the greatest inconvenience. The
engineers are half blinded, and trains are
run on slow time.
Early yesterday morning a heavy wind
storm visited Mount Carmel, and still con-
tinues. starting the forest fires, and much
damage is being done. Miles Of valuable
timber were burned all day. This and
%neighborlng towns have been b%efogged by
the smoke, and on either side Of the rail
roads the woods are ablaze. Shortly before
two o'clock p. nj. the brush and tim
Der in the vicinity of Turkey River
and West Shenandoah collieries took
fire. A high wind was blowing from
the west, and the collieries were
in danger of being consumed. The fire de-
partment of Shenandoah was called out,
and saved the breakers by keeping them
WCU. 1llC l1C Is SlCdVCk Kan CNCA kL llllo
writing. 1t has passed by these colleries.
and is being drawn by a heavy wind over
the mountain toward a patch of houses. AS
| there is no likelihood of rain the fire will
soon reach Ellen Gowan colliery, and great
damage will be done. The brush fires in
this vicinity are especially severe at this
season and great excitement prevails in con
sequence.
EMPORIUM, Pa, May 3.--Forest fires are
raging all through this section. The season
has been unusually dry, and the wind is
blowing a perfect gale from the West,
sweeping the fire through the forest with
great velocity. A large amount of property
has been destroyed at Sterling Run, nine
miles from here. Several buildings belong
ing to the tannery company were burned
yesterday and the village was in imminent
danger, but was saved. Two families are
reported lost, and it is feared the loss of life
will be great. At Swlsmont, fifteen miles
from here, two mills, with a large amount
of lumber, were destroyed.
W~ILKEsBARRE, Pa, May 3..-Forest fires
have been raging fiercely hereabouts lately,
yesterday afternoon. White Haven and
neighboring hills have caught fire, and for a
| time the town was in great danger, owing to
the strong wind. The fire department of
Wilkesbarre, with the whole population OF
the place, however, subdued the flames.
At California, a numbering town neal
| Whitehaven, a fierce fire started. and
eleven houses occupied by men engaged
in numbering We're burned. Two bridges on
the Bear Creek branch of the Lehigh Val
ley Railroad were destroyed, as were also
the stables of Robert Lewis Il Co., lumber
contractors. Eleven horses also persisted.
In this fire a large quantity Of valuable
timber was destroyed. The total loss is es-
timateu at $50, 600. The fire is now under
control.
New York, May 3.-Forest fires in the
country round about fill the atmosphere
here with smoke. Middleton, n. Y, re.
ports the mountains north and west of the
strong wind is blowing and it is possible to
see only a short distance. No damage is
reported yet, but the danger to isolated
farm houses and barns is great. Clouds OF
smoke and ashes fill the air. The fire is
also raging on Storm-King Mountain, neal
Cornwall, and in the highlands west OF
Haverstraw. The air of Newburg is filled
with smoke and ashes, and burned leaves
are floating about. Mucr damage to stand.
ing timber is apprehended.
BALTIMORE, Md, May "a terrible
forest fire has been raging for several days
near Elkton, Md. Thursday it was thought
to be- under control, but yesterday it broke
out afresh. Up to six o'clock yesterday
morning over two thousand acres of land
had been burned over. A large number of
dwellings and contents were destroyed.
The fire, is spreading in all directions. with
no indication of abating. until it reaches an
open space four miles from where it is now
raging. The loss is estimated at several
hundred thousand dollars.
WASHINGTON, N. j., May a.-An extern
sive co%nflagration is raging in Blue Mount
aims, twenty-five miles from here. The
wird carried the smoke in dense clouds
over this plrt of Warren County. At five
O'Clock Yesterday afternoon it became COM
plete!y dark, and a smoky pail, almost suf-
| locating rncfc oIon 4lAa Aenu.