New-York tribune., 1896-01-09
CHRLSTMIS TREE EIREN.

Though 1t is now more than fortnight since
Christmas Eve. fire continues to rage In the
Christmas trees We know Of nothing so In
nammable as the well-seasoned Christmas tree
along in the first two or three weeks Of January.
They go off like gunpowder. Indeed. we believe
there Is a chance for some inventor TO devise a
way for puverzing and condensing Christmas
trees and producing an explosive equalllng' OF
perhaps exceeding, dynamite in force. IL couin'
we believe, be produced very cheaply. since
Christmas trees grow wild In many States OF the
Union notably in Vermont. and the cost or dry
ing grinding and condensing them ought TO be
comparatively slight. Then. 100. at the holiday
season no doubt many trees could be bought
ready dried, since, If a regular market were es-
tablished for them. we dare say many people
would prefer to dispose Of them in this way
rather than to burn them In their own houses
along with the houses.
We don't know as there any statistics
showing just how much property Is lost annually
in this country through the combustible proclivi-
ties Of the Christmas tree but it must be good
many thousands Of dollars IN this way Christ
mas Is becoming a more infiammable holiday
than the Fourth Of July. Though we hear much
about forest fires every fall in Michigan. Wis
consln and other States, the true and genuinely
formidable forest fires OF this country rage dur
ing the fortnight after December % In the Christ
mas trees Instead Of being covered with tinsel
and tapers and presents. Christmas tree really
ough, 10 he hung full of hand grenades. ana a
fireman should stand in the hall with cheihicai
extinguisher strapped to his back.
Though II must be said for the Christmas tree
that it seldom flares up on Christmas Eve. II
is then green and unseasoned, and although, II
tempted too far II may burn with considerable
fury ii is not till several days later, or at about
New Years and after. that it becomes actually
explosive and perhaps well nigh lays itself open
to the suspicion OF spontaneous combustion.
After Christmas 1t is allowed to stand in the
corner while the drying process goes on. This Is
accomplished by the application or a good degree
of furnace heat often supplemented by open
fires and perhaps the direct rays OF the sun DUR
ing the day The trunk and larger limbs be-
come well seasoned, the bark dry and dusty and
the foliage and smaller twigs crisp and brittle.
At this point it is proposed by the head OF the
family to east 1t out proposition which is met
by the children with loud protests and demands
thar II be lii up just more. The aforemen-
toned mead OF the family yields. touches the
match to the tapers. end the next day Is OBJ
served living at a hotel and In earnest consuta-
tlon with an eloquent ana incredulous insurance
adjuster. who knows the lowest price Of every
thing and seems T. have the facilities for build
ing new house for about one-quarter OF sthe
amount that It would cost any other human
being
We began by Offering ''ell-consdered hint to
some inventor. We shall close with suggestion
to some other experimenter. Let us have a fire.
proof Christmas tree. rhe trunk and larger
limbs may. perhaps be made OF terra Gotta
Wire or something ot that Sort will possibly do
for the smaller branches. The foliage can be
fashioned from asbestos. To the whole thing can
be impaired an inviting and Yule-tide green
with hrerroof paint. and-there you are. The
patent non-combustlbe Christmas tree is bound
come.