New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-20
me NEU -JERSEY WfLDERNESS.

To those unfamiliar with the region In question
Il must seem strange that one Of the Oldest and
most dens.y populated states ~ the Union Is
each year subject 20 vast forest fires, when d~V-
asfatr many miles - territory and sometimes
destroy towns ani villages. Stories Of Western
prairie fires. especially In the days Of TIE early
sctilcrs are known 10 all: and ~ forest fires In
the Northwest. and even IN our own Adirondack
wilderness. But that there should be- such con
nagrations between the two great cities OF New-
York and Philadelphia. and within a ride ~ an
hour or two from either ~ them. seems almost
akin to the proverbial foreigners expectation Of
buffalo hunting In Union square. Yet these
fires are facts as the dispatches of the last
few days testify.
The southeastern part ~ New-Jerscy. comprls-
ing the counties Of Ocean. Atlantic Cape MAY
and Cumbellnnd and much Of Monmouth. Bur
lngion. Camden and Salem. consists ~ a sandy
plain, covered chiefly with Al dense growth Of
pine and cypress. with some oak. holly, laurels
and other shrubs. The pine and cypress predom-
mate. the former a dwarf. pitch-pruducing va
riety the latter often Of gigantic stature. and also
reslnous The bark OF both Of these trees Is
thick. shagsy. dry and about as inhammable IA
matchwood and the reslnous leaves ana
branches ara scarcely less 50. few parks from
aside. a brush fire allowed to get beyond control.
or unhappily, In some cases, wilful bit of In
cendiarism. Is sufficient TO set the whole coun>
try I'm Il blaze Here and there In the woods
the cabins of lumbermen and charcoal burners.
which are licked up by the flames like wisps OF
straw The larger establishments of fruitgrow-
ers and cranberry bog proprietors are scarcely
more secure And there many villages and
even considerable towns eirt about so closely by
the forest that the approach of fire before n high
wind puts them I'm Imminent peril Glowing Gin
ders and flaming brands are whirled FOR great
distances over open country and. falling In
showers upon the wooden houses OF village
whose cypress shingles and siding dry as
finder. spread destruction far and wide.
For many years such CONGREGATIONS have been
OF FREQUENT occurrence. and II Is matter OF in
teresting speculation how many years longer
they will continue. Back-frng and the other
primitive means Of checking them now employed
are Of slight avail. Nor Will the forests be burned
on ana thus furnish no more fuel for the fames
for after fire the trees and shrubs spring up
again with marvellous rapidity, and are soon
ready To feed another Simply TO clear of all the
woodland and leave the country bare would be
to create new Sahara and utterly depopulate
all the region. There remains the alternative OF
putting It into state OF cultivation. which most
persons regard hopeless task Perhaps II Is.
But the whole plain now supports a heavy and
varied growth OF vegetation, IL we'll watered. IL
thickly dotted with inexhaustible deposits Of
muck. and lies within an hour or two OF the two
greatest markets In America. Suppose that TO
these were added another factor. In the form OF
such energy and thrift as the Dutch have dis