Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-04
FOREST FIRES RAGING.
THOUSANDS OF ACRES SWEPT
By THE FLAMES,

The City Under a Dense Cloud OF smoke
Showers of Ashes from the Burning
Woods and Fields The Fires along
the Savannah, Florida and Western
RailwRy-Dsmsge at Gen. HarrisOn's
Place-The swAmps and Woods South
ofthe City on Fire.
Forest 1res are raging with great fury
along the savannah, Florida and Western
railway between here and Eesup. Pas
sengers on the incoming Florida trains
say that the smoke is suffocating and the
beat is intense. The whole country
seems to be on fire.
Midway between here ana Jesup the fire
was raging yesterday morning for dis
lance of five miles along the railroad.
1t mad burned up to the track, and
in some places the crossties
are on fire. The fence posts were scorched,
but being cypress were not burned. A
large territory is burned over and good
deal OF timber has been destroyed.
The woods and thickets, which are usu-
ally swampy and tull OF water. are dry az
finder, and the fire once started burns
rapidly and fercely. 1t is impossible to
control It. The fire has been burning for
several days along the track few miles
west of the city.
HOUSES IN DANGER.
At Gen. Harrison's place, two miles
and half out on the Middle Ground
road, it caught in the dry stubble on
Thursday afternoon and swept over the
fields, burning several stacks OF hay and
destroying two valuable hedge rows. A
good deal OF fencing was also burned.
The loss on the nav alone Gen. Harrison
MIR W IN
was at work near the railroad saw the
fire as it caught in the stubble from
along the track, where it is supposed to
have been started by tramps who make
their rendezvous and camp there. he at
once ran to give the alarm at the houses,
but the flames swept over the helds as
fast as he could run. The houses and
barns we're in imminent danger, but
Gen. Harrison being on the place rallied
the field hands, and by a well directed
effort saved the buildings. The nay,
which was stacked at different places,
could not all be protected. burrows were
plOwed around the stacks, but the flames
leaped over the plowed space, and caught
IN the dry hay, burning hercely In the
high wind.
FIRES SOUTH OF THE CITY.
Along the City and Suburban railway,
between Sand-Fly station and Cedar
Hammock, the ire has been burning since
Thursday morning. The incoming Mont
gomery train on Thursday night was de-
layed and the morning train yesterday
had TO stop on the other side Of the fire,
which burned along the track and had
caught in the crOssties.
A large tract of land has been burnt
over and good deal of damage has been
done. The swamps and bitches are dryer
than has ever been known, and the fire,
once started, there is nothing to check it's
progress.
The atmosphere was filled with dense
clouds OF smoke and ashes, which settled
over the city and partially obscured the
sun. The electric lights were a dull red
last night, and the smoke was like a
dense fog. The smell of burnt straw was
plainly perceptIble, and occasionally
there was a shower OF fine ashes blown
from the burning rice fields.
The marshes across the river on the
South Carolina side have been burning
for several days. Yesterday the wind
blew the smoke over the city and as the
breeze subsidized IL settled like a
fog. 1t was impossible last night to
see more than few blocks through the
streets. The gas lights were dim and the
electric lights looked as If they were
behind red glass.