The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-04-05
ptANfyG FORESTS.
North c,,o,;u, Pineries Swept BY Fire-A
Town sienaced.

L
I, s,,oS, a. .a,,yh the vast forests Of yellow
nino, wh;oh stretch welnigh unbroken
from sanford flfty miles from Raleigh. to
noints northwest and south, sixty miles In
Son,b CoroI;na. The border forests are
what arc known rs virgin. and from them
comes nearly all the turpentine marketed
At Wilmjnoton. n. G. The trees are OF
enormous lie. and at points where tur-
pentjne orchards are located are blazed for
miles Covered with rosin, hundreds OF
thousands ~ trees offered rare opportl-
nitv N four mr. five fires which broke out
Yesterday morning. The fires were caused
Il y burning brush. Before noon a Storm
came nm and the wind blew nearly hurri-
cane.
FLAMES RACING LIKE DEMONS.
In half an hour after this high wind
arose flames were racing like demons
through the woods. The roar Of the fire
through the pines, the cracking OF the
burning trees. the awful sight OF the
flames. and the binding, scorching heat,
showed the people far and near tha' greal
disaster was Mt hand. Vast masses OF fire
were actually forced through the air by the
sweeping gale. The tops Of half-burned
mines were thrown great distances, and fell
in the middle of cleared fields. The flames
lowered to an amazing height, and so vivid
was the glare that il made all objects PLAIN
great wav off. The people were terribly
alarmed At Blues Crossing and Kcyser
the peoplc gathered in large numbers. and
fought the flames with such energy ana
desperation that these places escaped win
little damage. Dozens OF turpentlne DIS,
ii eries are completely destroyed, rs wei
rs large quantities Of rosin, turpentlne,
and other naval stores.
MANY PERSONS sC0RCHED.
The fire has extended beyond Hamlet
into South Carolina. Its full sweep is over
distance OF fifty or sixty miles. NO news
OF any disaster to life has yet been re-
ceived. Many persons have lost clothing,
and some were badly scorched by the herce
flames. II Is by far the most disastrous
fire ever in the North Carolina turpentine
forests.
The Raleigh and Augusta Airline rail-
road runs fifty miles through the burned
district. All dav Yesterday the fire ragged
| through this district, gathering fury as 1t
went. Crops were scOrched and houses
| burned, and the scene OF destruction was
indeed grand. In the afternoon the wind
rose yet higher. and at nightfall it was
blowing a lively gale. The aspect then
became awful in sublimity. The fire en-
tended for an unknown distance on each
side OF the railroad, principally on the
south side, the wind being from the north
west and steadily sweeping the flames
southwark. Tall pines were in 4 blaze
| from base to summit, and large number
OF cross-ties and an immense amount OF
wood and lumber were burned up along
the line of the railroad. The turpentine
orchards OF the whole section have been
entirely DESTROYED.
A TOWN IN IMMINENT DANGER.
The town OF Manly was in imminent
danger Of total destruction. The railroad
warehouse caught fire several times, but
was eXtingulshed. The Methodist church,
five storage warehouses for guano and cot
ton, the town guard-house, the barn and
stables OF W. c. Petty, at Manly, were
burned. The water-tanks OF the Raleigh
and Augusta railroad at Hamlet were con-
sumed. At 2 O'Clock this morning Hamlet
was surrounded by Gordon OF fire, and
the light OF the cOnilagration could be seen
| for miles in every direction. Many farm
houses have been consumed. Mr.. Hender-
son. near Hamlet, lost his residence, to-
gether with all the outhOuses on the pre-
misses.
The whole community was busy during
the night fighting fire. Fhe heat from
the fire was so oppressive at times
that it was necessary for the doors and
windows OF the passenger train to be
closed while passing through it. Hun
I dreds OF farmers lost all their fences, out
| buildings, forage. DC. At Hamlet and
other points people threw their furniture,
! bedding, and clothing into ponds and
streams TO save them from the deyouring
| flames. Cases are reported where people
took refuge in ponds and wells.
For ten miles east Of Hamlet everything
is absolutely destroyed. This afternoon
and evening the fire is burning only in
| limited places. The wind being low peo-
pie are enabled to combat it more easily.
| Though the danger is over many thousand
trees will yet burn and shoulder. The
full news OF the losses can hardly be OBJ
tanned for several days.
Bv Associated Press.
SIX OR SEVEN COUNTIES DEvAsTATED-A
BLACKENED WILDERNESS.
RALEIGH, n. c., April 4.-For three
DAYS and nights the most destructive fires
ever known in that section have been de-
vastating the southern border OF the State,
| eAIcnulDH lnlO SIN Ut ScNtH COuHlltSs hcl
forests OF long-leaf pine have been attacked.
They formed the chief source Of timber
supply. The high winds famed the flames
into fury, and hundreds OF thousands OF
trees were burned, and some Of the
largest turpentiDe-orchards in the State
ruined and many farm-houses destroyed.
The people have been brayely fight
ing the fire. 4 number OF towns have
narrowly escaped destruction. Al Man
J ", on the Raleigh and Augusta railway,
a number Of houses were burned. Large
stores, lumber, and railroad sils on the
line of the road were also destroyed, and
dozen turpentine distIleries ruined. The
country in great stretches is but black
ened wilderness. The extent OF the dis
aster Is not yet known. Many families are
homeless. The ire has swept here and
there some fifty miles in one direction and
thirty IN another. A few places, 1t is re-
ported, escaped. The fires were caused by
burning brush. They extended far into
South Carolina on the line OF the Char
lotte, Columbia and Augusta railroad.
Trains have been running through miles Of
fire. Two dwellings and eight or ten
barns were burned in that district. so far
as known no lives have been lost.
A YANKEE IN RED PAINT