The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-10-27
THE MOUNTAINS AFLAME
Sweep Of the Fire Fiend Still En-
dangers Pennsylvania Homes.
DENSE SMOKE oBsOUREs TIE SUN

At Connellsville 1t Is Necessary to
Burn Lights in the Daytime, and at
Blairsville the Public Schools Are
Closed-Awoman'sR Race with Flame
Connellsville, Pa, Oct. 27.-Connells-
vile still suffers from the forest fires
on Chestnut hill. Yesterday electric
lights had to be burned in all the Of
fees and houses. as the sun was COM
pletely shut out. Wednesday night tho
flames, leaping ten feet high, came
down Scissor Park and threatened the
store building Of the South Connells-
vile Merchandise and Supply COM
pany at South Connellsville. A large
force Of men fought the fire for sew
eral hours. A row Of houses on the
outskirts of town was threatened and
the people remained up all night, keep
ing the flames back.
A Ligonier dispatch says: Mrs.
James D. Love, of Fort Palmer, had
frightful experience on Tuesday with
the forest fire now raging on Chestnut
Ridge. She was on her way over the
ridge when the flames came sweeping
toward the road a quarter of mile
wide. Her horse became unmanage-
able, and the dense smoke almost suf-
located her. By extraordinary efforts
she managed to escape the rush of the
flames. Shortly after her escape from
the fire the road over which she pass
ed, being covered with six inches Of
leaves, was all ablaze.
At Blairsville the public schools are
closed on account of the dense smoke
that fills the town from the fierce fires
raging in the forests. The children
could not study for the choking smoke,
and besides, the excitement over the
fires Is too great.
The whole country for IL miles
round about Greensburg Is enshrouded
in dense smoke emanating from the
forest fires on Chestnut Ridge. The
Bell telephone line to Ligoner has been
damaged by falling timber. The loss
to timber owners is very large The
farmers thus far have been able to
save their homes. but the worst fears
are felt.
Fires are burning in the mountains
on all sides of Johnstown. A pail of
smoke has hung over the city for sew
eral days. The light wind Wednesday
saved much valuable property between
here and Scalp Level. as the farmers
had time to fire back" on all sides.
Flames are sweeping the woods on
both sides the Allegheny and Negro
ranges in the vicinity Of Meyersdale,
and great damage is being done to tim
Der, fences, etc. Smoke hangs over
the town in dense clouds. Word reach
ed there yesterday that at point on
the National pike near Pocahontas
dwellings, saw mills and barns are
menaced by the flames, and that con-
tinuous fighting is necessary to pre-
vent their destruction.
LOSSES FROM FOREST FIRES.
Land Commissioner Herman Says
Twenty Million Dollars Annually.
Washington, Oct. 27.--The annual
report of Commissioner Hermann, of
the general land Office, shows a grand
total of 929, 30S,06S acres of unappro-
priated and unreserved public lands
in the United States. The disposals OF
public lands during the fscal year
show an increase of 72S516 acres, as
compared with the aggregate of the
previous year. The total cash receipts
of the service increased $792,142 over
last year.
The commissioner makes num-
Der of recommendations. Protection
against forest fires is especially urged.
1t is estimated that the average yearly
loss from this cause is not les than
$20,000,000. The proper utilization OF
the grazing lands on the public domain
also is urged, and it Is pointed out that
SO long as the laws require millmen
and other lumbermen to pay fair
price to the government for timber
supplies drawn from public lands there
should be an equal charge levied on
the grazing products of public lands.