The Red Cloud chief., 1884-05-09
FOREST FIRES.

The Mountains Of Now York. Pennsyi anita
and New Jersey = Blaze of Fire-Loss Of
Life and Property.
New YORK. May 3.-Forest fires in the
country round about ill the atmosphere
here with smoke. Middle.own, n. ", re-
ports the mountains west and north of the
Shawargunts and Catskills on fire. A
strong wind was blowing. II was impossi-
BILE to see only a short distance. No dam
age reported yet, but the danger to isolated
farm houses and farms was great. Clouds
of smoke and ashes filed the air. Fires
were raging on Storm King Mountain, near
Cornwall, and in the highlands west of
Haverstraw. The air at Newburgh was
filled with smoke and ashes of burned
leaves floating about. Much damage TO
standing timber was a~pprehended.
A Wllkesbarre, Pa, special says forest
fires have been raging fiercely thereabOut
lately. TIL first serious damage was re-
ported yesterday afternoon. WhitehayeD
and the neighbOring hills caught fire and for
q time the town was in great danger, owing
to a strong wind. The fire department of
Wilkesbarre, with the whole population of
the place, subdued the fire.
At California, a numbering town near
Whitehaven. a fierce fire started and eleven
houses occupied by lumbermen were con-
sumed. Two bridges on the Beaver Greek
branch of the Lehigh Valley road were de-
Stroyed; also the stables of Albert Lewis i
Co., lumber contractors. Eleven horses also
persisted In the flames. A large quantity of
valuable timber was destroyed. The total
loss is estimated at $4,000. The fire is now
under control.
WASHINGTON. y. j., May 3.-An extern
sive cOnfiagratiOn is raging i'll the Blue
Mountains, twenty-five miles from here.
The wind carries the smoke in dense clouds
over this part of Warren County. At five
o'clock yesterday afternoon it became COM
p!etely dark and a smoky pail, almost suffO-
eating, rests over this town. The inhabi-
tants are alarmed, and the Mayor has re-
gueSted n number of the members of the fire
department to remain on duty. a large
tract of valuab!c woodland is burning about
three miles from hathaway, threatening a
number of residences. Farmers are fighting
the flames.
Near Ashland. Pa, extensive fires are
raging, and the Ashland fire department has
been ordered in readiness for service. At
the State Miners Hospital wOrkmen are
now fighting the flames near the building.
The loss to timber tracts will be large.
\ heavy wind storm visited Northumber-
land County, Pa, yesterday and famed to in
creased fury the forest fires. Thu works Of
Charles Woods and 5000 cords of charcoal
were destroyed. The fires also ignited
Culmbank at Mine Hill Gap. The COlliery
mine is in danger. and 800 men are thrown
out of employment. The towns are be-
logged by smoke from the burning mSnn-
tainS.
Emporium, Pa, sends word of forest fires
raging all through that section. The season
is unusually dry and the wind is blowing a
perfect gale from the west, sweeping the
fire through the forest with great velocity
and destroying a large amount of property
At Sterling Run, nine miles from EmpO-
rum, several buildings belonging to the
tannery company burned yesterday, and a
large mill was also destroyed. The village
was only saved by aid from RenOva. Two
families are reported lost. and it is feared
the loss of life will be great. At Swiss
mont, fifteen miles west Of here, two mills
with a large amount of lumber were de-
StrOyed.
SCRANTON, PA, May 3.-The barrel mill,
press house and canning mill of the MOOsic
Powder Company, Col. H.. NJ. Boise, Presi-
dent, blew up. and the soda grinding and
pulverizing mills were fired and burned yes
terday. The mills were ignited from the
forest fires. Several days ago one OF the en-
plOyeS wa burned to a crisp in the wash
house. Several hundred cords of powder
wood are now burning and it is expected
that the glazing mills will go. The iron
magazine containing several tons of pow
der is so far safe. No one dareS to travel the
road to Archibald for fear that the rest of
the mills will blow up. The loss thus far is
$4,000.