The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-19
IT'S FEET STRIKE FIRE.
HlIxxard-Proof Cat That Starts the
Forest Blaze.


A special dispatch from Port Townsend
10 the Observation-Disclosures. dated August If.
speaks Of vast forest fires raging upon
the eastern slopes of the Olympic noun
fains and coming down upon the settlers
cabins along Hood canal. Those fires cam
rot originate in the slashings OF the
ranchers because the settlements are to
ifeward Of them. Some other explanation
must be sought. Some time ago a cor
respondent of the Post-Intelligencer
claimed that the ignition OF dry trees was
sometimes caused by drops of pitch act
ing as lenses and concentrating the rays
Of the sun. That is a beautiful theory.
hut II could not occur in practice because
sun glass must be transparent. and
pitch Is only translucent. Another beau
tful theory is that the bears. indulging
IN their wel-known practice of scratch
Ing the bark OF trees as a challenge 10
ether bears occasionally do so with such
yigor as TO ignite by friction the finder
produced by the action OF their claws.
This could not occur in practice because
the bears always scratch green tree and
never scratch the same place twice. con
sauently no ignitahle finder could be
produced by them; besides. If the fires
we're produced in that way the smoke
would be bearable, whereas IL is unbear-
able.
The true explanation of the fires that
originate in remote districts. IL seems. is
that they are caused by the hot feet of
the hlsxxard-proof cat that was unearthcd
N Oregon in 1883. The following is epito-
mized morn contemporary account OF the
episode published In Portland paper:
In The endeavor TO obtain a supply Of
water for sawmili that was erected in
lie Scappoose mountains. Oregon. in 1883.
well was started TO be dug This we'll
presented only ordinary features until
depth OF twenty eight feet was reached.
when the temperature began rapidly 10
rise As the shaft went down the heat in
creased and at depth OF thrty-fiye feet
evidences or former combustion appeared.
me rocks were hot. partially consumed
fragments of trees were found aud the
gravel was cracked by heat. The well
alggefs. who had some knowledge OF
geology. made a careful examination Of
sae locality TO ascertain the cause Of the
PHENOMENA and came 10 the conclusion
'aat ~ some remote period an enormous
siaae had come from the hin above at a
hn1e when the ancient forest TN the can
yon vas enveloped in flames. and that the
hres had been suddenly enclosed. The
everything strata being blue and orange
ealored elays and cemented gravel. all inn
was Dramatically sealed and had remain
60 intact for ages They thcreupon de-
cAaes te penetrate further into the bow
So q The earth. bat the proprietor OF the
.'ii eesng of the kind that never gives up.
induced them. partly by higher wages and
parity ny ridlcgle of their timidity. 20 so
ea In short time they encountered a
inherent formation. They apparently got
'nseegh the slide and struck the bottom
y sn ancient canyon filled with fiat stones
rala
AZ last they encoutered a rock which
vas larger and hotter than the others and
witch emitted "A hollow sound when
ss1aoN with pick. ON raising this on
vske cavity appeared and from it
es'efges n cat~a eat that was black I'm
81 iss aspects. but aocile u did not share
" sSionishment or the well-diggers. but
s.eseu IN the most friendly manner. At
81 one or the men siezed the cat. but
sssAiF set K 80, as II was as hot as
ss.aifen. This demonstration alarmed tho
- ana u made n spring forward. catch
- oh ledge and regarding the men with
So m The weii-diEgers were terrified
- sls called Justify for the bucket 20 I've
s.~eFed This was quickly done. she men
- me windlass thinking that some acct
s.as had happened. when the bucket
!. .seaea the ledge 10 which the eat chung
= Jumped thereir and the men below, no
Us this. sang ont the order. Haul
The cat croucned in the bucket.
-. - "hen Il neared the surface sprang
=. 49,. asaa retreated 20 a distance
Ssch an unrx Qeetea cenouement
- $3.50 great CONSERVATION az the mouth
- eae NeH and the accounts Of the eve
a.Sses<fs Otter considerably as 10 what
sisee- From them all. however, Il was
e,.s.e0 that TIE strange animal ran
:, rae az swadBst. setting IRE - IL
H.. 10y step. mounted upon a hemlcck
-. " ned hostile glare upon the men.
ss-a'lsa colossal form and then faded
l. View without changing It's position.
= ssw minutes u slowly moved away.
es.sssie4ted by its smoking tracks"
49, s.sag y more reasonable than 10 sup
s 80 t'at this blizzard proof cat has
49, 49, the Columbia river. and taken
r. 49, n The Olympic mountains. where
a. - = sss' ignite the dry grass and leaves
a.. s.1e immense clouds az smoke new
- "a Al sides are the result.