New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-21
IN TRACK OF FOREST FIRES
GREAT DESTRUCTION WROUGHT BY
THEM IN THE NORTHWEST-SIG
NIFICANCE OF AUTUM-
NAL HAZE.

With the coming of the fine dry autumnal
season. when the wealth of varegated folage oil
the mountain sides attracts visitors to the WOODS
the haze of Indian summer spreads throughout the
North and obscures the setting in fiery glow
of dust This peculiar autumn haze has been at
tributed to various agencies. from the Foicdic ue'
Of some distant mountain TO atmospheric changes
produced by the extremely mild Southern breezes'
but the most generally accepted theory Is that fo
est fires are often responsible for the hay, smoky
condition of the atmosphere. Forest hres are dS
periodic in their in this country as 'ne
equinoctial storms. They begin in the latter nan
of September and extend with more or less resu-
larity through October and November IN INC
great Northwestern woods thousands OF persons
live in daily and nightly dread of forest hres' ui't
the rains and SHOWS of early winter soak the "ooN
with moisture and make extended connagraloiis
impossible. A sigh of relief goes up from scores VI
forest surrounded hamlets and towns when the fire
season draws to an end and their homes are intact
and undisturbed.
The fires on the prairies of the West were at one
time considered most picturesque and awe lhspii"s
scenes, and they swept across the "ioe op'"
stretches like whirlwind. devouring the tall dry
grass in their fiery progress. Prairie fires with
solid walls of fame twenty and thirty feet hish anu
ten miles wide have been described by eye witnesses
as sweeping across the plains at pace HhPossiple
for a horse to equal Everything caught on the
plains was consumed by the fiery demon-Wlid ann
mails serpents settlers trains and ranches and
the pioneers themselves The only safeguard the
settlers had was to fight fire with fire by burning
wide strip up against the wind TO meet the dp-
preaching hend. Even to-day precautions nave 10
be observed In early autumn, where the pralrle
grass Is unusually tall and dry. Fire breaks are
made around the solitary ranch or town by plough
ing windows around the place and burning the
grass located between them.
But while the danger from prairie fires is mini
mixed by settlers in the great plains, the FEAR
of forest fires terrorizing in the Northwest
than ever before. In the Great Lakes of Michigan
Wisconsin and Minnesota the lumber industry
has planted many small towns and villages right
in the heart of the great woods. These Isolated
towns are absolutely helpless against the raVases
Of fire when II once breaks out among the dry
leaves and timber. Railroads run through these
vast forest wildernesses, connecting the towns
with the rest of the civilized world, but the iron
horse is often helpless to save the people in the
face of the flames. The intense heat warps the
steel rails blisters the passing cars and even con-
sumes the wooden sleeperS which the tracks
are laid. Sometimes the fires are started by the
spark from one of these locomotives, and again
by the careless use Of match pipe by a hunter.
The loss of timber through forest fires annually
amounts to immense sums, but when added to this
are the loss of human life and the destruction of
whole towns the damage strikes terror to the heart
of all who reside in the forest area. The forest
tragedies of the Northwest recalled wildly
when the haze of some distant fire broods over the
autumnal landscape. The direction of the wind Is
eagerly studied every hour of the day and night
to ascertain whether the danger is approaching or
receding. Most of the forest towns are engaged in