Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-25

often killed while they are standing Up to
their necks in streams and rivers Or they
are exposed to death from the constant
shower of sparks and live Goals that cover
every inch of surface.
Disastrous Effects.
The disastrous effects of fires over large
areas are very far-reachng. In addition to
laying waste SO much territory and causing
so much damage to property and such ex-
tensive loss of life, they destroy the crops
for years to come. After fire has passed
over space of ground the entire nature of
the soil is changed. In Brazil, where the
fires are numerous and very hot on account
of the large quantities of dried grass which
are found there, an entirely new flora
springs up to take the place of that which
formerly covered the ground. The fact that
the chief fuel is grass and light underbrush
is in certain sense an advantage. Certain
chemical elements are liberated, which give
some nutriment to the burned soil. But
where the fuel is of a more substantial ma
ture, it often is in woods,
these very elements are themselves de-
stroyed and the soil becomes incapable of
supporting vegetation until some time mas
elapsed There is no more deSolate sight
than that of a vast plot of land which has
been burned over by a forest fire. There is
an appearance of absolute vacancy not to
be equaled by any other scene. And the
desOlation extends for several feet below
the surface. Small animals like the squirrel
and gopher have been found dead in their
burrows where they lay in fancled security
at a depth varying from three to five feet
under the level of the ground. AT even
greater depths animals are found in sort
of dull stupor caused by the smoke that
has made its way into the tortuous wind
ings of the hole
The actual cash damage done by the
forest fires is hard to estimate A com
mission has recently been appointed to
make q canvass. and has reported that
in the last twenty years in the territory of
the United States and the land In Brit
Ssh North America the damage has foot
ed up $500 OOO000 In the one year of
1850 a territory was burned which COM
prised at least ten and quarter mil
lion acres. The value of the forests alone
was $25.0O0G00 And the year chosen was
not one particularly noted for the frequency
of its fires In the west where a thick
growth of trees, long, dry season and
the reckless prodigality of the inhabit-
ants mah a combination favorable o
large losses the damage is wonderful.
The smoke from the frequent fires Is so
thick that it renders the navigation of
Puget Sound dangerous. Thirty million
dollars worth of stumpage has been burn
&c in part of the state of Washing
ton. During the year 1888 the number
of fires was exceptionally large, and,
though the reports of the damage are not
Yet ali in there is sure to have been a
less of property footing up millions and
millions of dollars.
Succession of COnffaEratiOns.
From the time of the occupation of the
Indians to the present day there has been
a succession of these forest fires. 1t is a
question how to deal with them. Many
states have forest laws. but they are not
we'll enforced. The fruits of the careless
ness and waste of the early settlers are
now being gathered by their descendants.
Many nen are needed to combat a fire,
and the most earnest cooperation is neces-
sary for satisfactory results. The danger
from this source does not seem to be de-
and when think
erful factor for evil, moving at a speed
sufficient to overtake a horse on the gal
Top, it Will be seen that prompt measures
are necessary to protect what remains of
our once proud and still very extensive
forests There has been a very long sea-
son of dly weather lately, dry that the
marshes on the lakes were fire at one
time. The appointment of fire marshals
is not enough. They must be given power
to compel services and a tax for the special
purpose of retmbursing burned-out settlers
and the bringing of any culpritS might
be Instituted If something is not done
We shall have the modification of see
ing our forests disappear beyond the hope
of recall.
1t is extremely difficult to get anything
but approximate figures concerning the
numbe" of deaths resulting from forest
fires but isolated paragraphs tell some
thing of the story. During the terrible
fires Of 1894, when millions of feet of lum-
Ter burned, the town of Hnckley lost over
300 souls of its population. In the fire of
1911, made so memorable by its great con-
tiagraticns, the loss of life from the towns
on the west shore of Lake Huron was over
1000, and this territory was a mere 1.-THE
of the burned-Over country. In the Min
nesOta fires of four years ago the villages
lying on a line between Carlton and Pine
City. where the flames took their course,
in 40 miles of territory over twenty towns
were wiped out and in Carlton and Pine
counties alone the loss of life was over
1000 persons. If one considers that these
figures come from small tracts and that
they are from but one fire, while millions
of acres are burned over every year and
the fires have been doing their work since
America has been in existence, some idea
or the awful loss of life may be approx
mated 1t is safe to say that fire in the
forests has been responsible for the deaths
of millions of people.