The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-26
FOREST FIRES ARE NO JOKE.
ENORMOUS LOSSES CAUSED IN THE
TJMBER REGIONS.


As autumn goes on, dwcllers in the State Of
Michigan look anxiously at the sky from time to
time when great clouds Of light olorcd smoke
hang over the city, and when the wind Is favor
able. even bring the scent Of burning wood 10 our
nostrila And all over tho world people whose
situation expose, them in any way to loss from
forest fires cast the same anxious glanccs at the
sky In portions OF the country that a long
continued drought has rendered on easier prey to
the destroying influence OF the forest fire demon
the anxiety becomes ono long continued strain.
not TO be relaxed until winter sets In with It's ice
and wet
The npprchensions felt are very natural. a
burnt child breads the FIRE, and the children Of a
larger growth hold the same position in respect
TO the possible awful consequences Of large fro
in the woods surrounding thcm Those who havo
been saved after an experience with ono Of these
devastating scourgcs tell tales well calculated to
brighten any ono
The speed and power Of forest fire are abso-
lutely beyond belief Of those who have had no
experience with them Thousands yes. millions,
Of burnt stand to the credit OF forest fires
They ore started by various causes. Several
cases are reported In which FIRE has been started
as the result Of lightning flash, but the greatest
number Of them are started by men OF course,
some Of these ara the results Of cnrclessness and
ignorance or even unavoidable accident. but many
arc wanton destruction and nothing better,
A forest on fire IL great wonderful and an
awc.inspring sight Great trees whose massive
length are the result Of the slow growth Of cen.
consumed to nothngncss' Meadows which one
moment are a smiling picture Of peace and plenty
s ano Fire IS RSr
thing that its hot breath touches IL shtivc ell into
the same fotmless mass as its neighbor, however
diferen: their appearance may have been before
they were, smitten Houses and trees, swamps
end dry land, arc all converted into one vast
desolatc level on whose surface tho wind always
following the iirc whirls tho ashes at its viii
The approach Of a fire is hctndcd bv tho con.
stanily increasing beat Of wind like the simeon,
which fairly chokcs the person so unfortunate as
10 inhale IT, and drives all animals. wild and do.
nestle, mad with fright Strange to say. the
warning signal Of the flames approach in reality
has the effect Of concenling IT, The insufctablc
3 The oMy 500 s ls "J Se.nS
thermometer registered a heat Of 1902 Fahrenheit
and In another case the thermometer al about the
same distance showed nothing but column OF
mercury. completely nng tho tube; and the ,hcr.
momctet would have burst II the owner. wrapped
In wet shaws. hal not succeeded in rcscuing II,
burning his hands as he did so In another case
a man who took saddle oil fence In the path OF
the ire istcrcd his hands severely TO render
him helpless for the better Part 81 n year Great
masses Of leaves ON the trees turn as brown on the
Limits as II winter were already upon them; and
the green hOuRhs hiss and curl M as the hot
breath touches them In few moments tncv ore
reduced to iniammable material Of the most dnn;
gcrous kind Pine trees. o! which there are still
So many in Michigan, are particularly dangerous
as every country boy knows. for the needles, once
thoroughly dry, become actually explosive IN the
force and strength with which they ignite one
OF the worst fires ever started in the forests was
occasionei by the reckless burning OF long dried
| Christmas tree. Put into the fireplace OF an old
! fashioned chimney. when il was set ERE TO 1t OK
| plodcd. throwing shower Of sparks into the room
setting the clothes Of the fremakers on frc and
! air above the top 81 the chimnev As a result II
that bonfire thousands Of dollars worth Of p5op,
| Furnishing the thoughiess dcsirovcrS
During the progress OF a caniinStation the
as the Are in n great city Warehouse licks up the
| streams of water poured uron II bv the engines
30 the forcs, in flames draws its very sustenance
| and aid from the air itself People who have
watched ;hc progress OF fIr say ,ha, sometimes
| the flames from one tree will ignite another AZ q
great distance. the fire cscaring from one 10 m.
other in solid shce, Of flame, setting nrc to the
are borne on The wind /" s-ca, heights and fall
| on Some still unbnrncd spot already converted
into ,ouch wood and finder and in few -omcHts
this is adding It's share 10 the general destruction
M course there y olwaysdanFer from the IL,
credible quantity ~ spar.s and cmbcts which
methods 81 fighting the fire are inciIc"tusl M3nv
| people spread wet blankets snd cloths over their
iul hea, dries them out 50 quickly tina, the
| water IN almost ht once converted into steam.
L %Ss Rs'sGa Is VI oWne
threatened piece Of property sets IRE to the brush
.nd toIcs, surrounding his clearing. the idea
being tina, the nre will stop al that point from
lack Of fuel But experience has shown that
,his is not always Trustworthy protection \
/ gentleman named Squire With Of Glhdwin county
| had caused n clearing, Of from sixty tn eighty
acres 30 be formed about his homestead as inca ms
OF protection When the fire approached it was
way: and all the energies Of the household were
turned TO saving the house itsrlt The force
even this wide space and the building was TO
ducod 10 ashes, From this s.a,emen, some veg
NAV 10 gained Of the enormous momentum oi
a Are once il In well under way Racknrinc is
efficient only when II can be begun early and Is
OF such proportions as 10 battle tho great force
The damage done by FIRE does not step with
the destruction a. the forests though this is sure
| TO m AXE us pinched for timber in n few years II
some means are no, taken to replace the los, prop
erty In addition to the loss Of stumpag- there Is
the enormous loss Of human life. sacrificed In Sc
many cases There Is the great destruction o
game OF insectiv oTous birds of the fora and fauna
OF the burned district Lumbermen who have
the habit Of clearing their , MiHGmp p, p, p,
great quantity OF game OF nil kinds that comes
from district thought to be uninhnli!cd. The
swii,cI-footcd animals, dash out Willy, ihci'
fear Of man swallowed up In the all absorbing
terror Of death from FIRE, an instinct shared
by all living things from man 70 inc loves owes
comes forth, the larger animals in advance
Birds fly, about uncertainty. blinded by the smoke
In the air and uttcring pteous cries at being
obliged to desert their nests. Many birds arr
seen with the plumagc on their backs and breasts
scorchcd by tho heat guarding their homes unit
they can stand no more. Tho animals and rep
tiles that burrow come out as quickly as they are
able, the torpid snake making as good time ~
the usually more active animals. One thought
one instinct Is in the brains Of oil these creatures
to get 10 water. hut even should they succeed
In reaching that protection, they are in many
, cases destroyed. The flames that shoot out from
the shore kill every living thing on the surface o
the water and dry up anything but deep ant
wide lake. Men and women often killed wh
they are standing up TO their nccks In streams
and rivers or they are exposed to death from
the constant shower Of sparks and live coal
that cover every inch Of surface.
The disastrous effects OF fires over large area
are very far-reaching In addition to laying
waste so much territory and causing so mucl
damage TO property and such extensive loss o
life, they destroy the crops for years TO come
! After n fire has passed over n space Of groun'
the entire nature Of the soil Is changed. In Bra
: iii where the fires numerous and very hot Of
J account OF the large quantities OF dried rras
which are found there, an entirely new iior
springs up TO take the place Of that which for
merly covered the ground The fact that tn
, chief fuel is gross and light underbrush is in
.. certain sense an advantage. Certain chemica
elements are liber ated which give some nutrimcn
10 tho burned soil But where the fuel Ia OF NOR
substantial nature az II often Is in our own wood
, these very elements are themselves destroyed an
4 the soil becomes incapable OF supporting yegctG
q ! ton until some timo has elapsed. There Is n