The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1894-09-20
Loss Of Life by Forest Fires.
Ch1cngO Herald.

Chicago Herald.
1t is almost impossible for people
who are not acquainted with the con-
ditions existing in the forest regions of
Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan to
understand how there could be such |
wholesale destruction of human life as
is reported by the fires which are sweep
ing over those localities. 1t is not
strange, therefore, that many persons
are disposed to question the correctness
of reports stating that hundreds and
thousands of lives have been lost in
these holocausts
AS matter OF fact, there is no reas-
on to believe that the reports have
been in the least exaggerated. Indeed,
graphic and thrilling as the Herald's
reports have been, it is doubtful wheth-
er they haye done full justice to the
situation. Many OF the heart-rending
scenes have probably been beyond the
power of accurate description. To un-
derstand how the desolation could be-
come 50 general, and especially how the
death list could reach such appalling
proportions, it is necessary that the
reader should be informed as to the
conditions existing in the localities Wis
tied by the fires.
In the regions named lumber is the
only industry. The entire population,
except the few tradesmen in the towns
and villages, Is made up Of wood-chop-
pers. teamsters and mill hands. The
forests come close up to the edges OF
the towns and villages. The buildings
are all of wood The roads and streets
are made of "slabs" and sawdust. The
forests are filled with dead timber and
dense underbrush which, scOrched by
the fierce summer heat, has become as
dry as tinder.
In word, the whole country closely
resembles a vast ''tinder-bOx." The
long drought which has prevailed this
wear has rendered everything highly
inHammable. 1t has even converted the
sawdust in the thoroughfares into a
| powder which will burn as readily al
most as sunpowder The water in
many of the sloughs and swamps has
disappeared. The heat and dryness OF
the atmosphere are so oppressive as to
make the visitor unfamiliar with such
conditions almost marvel that sponta-
neOlls combustion does not at once be-
gin.
! in dry season like the present tor
est fires can not be prevented. The
flames sweep over thousands OF acres
consuming everything in their path
and creating volumes of dense smoke
which settles over the whole country
like a pail The smoke, the dust, the
depressing atmosphere, the dry, ho
winds and the insutficiency OF water re
duce many of the townspeople and vii
layers to condition of physical help
& fulness and misery even before th'
th-dealing flames invade thei
homes.
r When the fire attacks town or I
, village there is no way to impede 1t
/ progress There is frequently no waite
and almost always not enough waite
, with which to fight the flames. Ther
: is nothing for the people to DO but t
1 abandon their burning domiciles am
e there is no place to which they can H.
1 except to the swamps. These are OF
ten not accessible, or. if reached at al
are found like beds Of fire. The "slab
roads are quickly converted into track
of glowing Goals. The very earth ltsel
seems to be burning. Hundreds G
neople die of suffocation. Others tai
through the weariness superlnduced D
e thirst. hunger, sleeplessness and ankle
e tv. to become victims OF the relentles
DESTROYER which follows close benin
them. The real wonder is not that
many victims perish, but that any
the threatened ones escape.
d From the ashes of these fires WI
e come a new prosperity. They mar
: the end of the lumber industry III tn
~ lov,, nd n