Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1891-12-12
FionTino PoREsT FIREs.
Methods Used By Farmers TO Check
Their DEVASTATING Fury.

Their Devastating Fury.
There are precious few city people
who know Just what forest fire 10
and what n tough job II IL To quenoh
such flames rs have been lighted up 10
Pennsylvania and Michigan Of late,
says tho New York Recorder. The
smoke 10 suffocating In its density a.
II IL blown by the wind before the ad.
vnncing fire by wind that may at
any minute change and carry tho
flames In another direction TO dcvas-
tate homes which have been thought
safe from lie fury.
Tho woodmep and farmers who
have cleared small tracts In the vii.
dcrnes are working, hghting, strug-
CLING TO vanquish the foe. II IL a bat
tie TO defend tho homo from invasion
by an enemy who knows not pity and
whose onward march Il blAckcncd by
ruins such rs no conqueror ever left
behind his advancing army They
know not the drills and system OF
regular hremen and have no fire en-
gincs or hose, generally no water, 70
holp them In the fray, but they work
to better advantage than could the
most proficient hro company used TO
city fires II Is like frontiorsmen
| fighting Indians who put to blush the
most efficient soldier A captain 10
choson TO direct tho struggle. He 10
generally landed proprietor. 10,
while woodmen arc eager TO follow
they fear to lead In tho heroic meas
ures which are often necessary. such
As hack.hring on the timber that IL as
ye: unscathed by the flames. Bosidos
such man has n fleet horse which,
hoarlng the ominous roar Of hames
can run milo after mile In terrific
haste, bearing warnings and commands
TO outlaylng detachmentS and at such
n time q minute saved often deter
mines the fate OF communities Ho
Ia too, an experienced forester. He
knows where the seams ran and the
wood roads lie; whore tho trees grow
In tangled thickcts and In open up.
lands; whcro clearing have been made
and whcro in cedar swamps the hre
will roach Its hungry tongue skyward.
licking up ~ 1t PUSHES on. their tall
swayinR tops with fury that mortal
power or cunning can not stay.
assuming command Already no has
thought over the ground and has de-
cided on the road or brook where the
fire must DO stopped. In his hurried
gallop 10 tho scene he has watched the
rising smoke columns and with his
trained eye divided tho width and
distance OF tho flames. Quickly he
fnds out who have brought shovels
with them. These he dispatches with
oroers TO dig a way through the strip
OF untrodden forest that 10 ignited bo-
hind them on tho side next tho fire.
Then other men with axcs are set 10
cutting brushes OF cedar. hcmlock and
pine which are used by boys and the
mcr who have como uuprovided with
means OF fighting in beating out the
flames that leap the earth barrier asa
threaten TO destroy tho very woods
they wero kindled TO save Sometimes
they spread too fast to DO quenched
and then the fre-fghters must beat
, retreat and recommenco their work
miles distant In advance OF the new
Are
When the counter-h fire is successful
Il burns against tho wind. slowly I'D
! vaucing to meet the other. As soon
a. II has burned far enough 70 secure
that safety OF the woods In In rear the
FRO fighters, leaving IL unmatched. con-
/ tinue the work Of counter firing until
at last two blazing belts OF equal
+. width arc burning toward eacA other.
. The smoke IL dense "a tho heaviest
Il. fog. and roar like tho surf on rock
bound coast fills tho ears with It's
= dread noise. No other sound save the
hoarse cries OF the workmen Is heard
Tho birds have flown away and the
. terrified animals scampor into Tho
, thickots beyond