Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-06-24
FIGHTING FOREST FIRES.
During the Prolonged Drouth Thou-
sands of Men Fought the Flames

During the Prolonged Drouth Thou-
sands of Men Fought the Flames.
The copious and widespread rains
which have recently prevailed over a
large section of the Eastern and North
ern States did much to extinguish the
forest fires which had already destroyed
millions of dollars worth of property and
which promised to continue the work of
destruction, despite every effort on the
part Of thousands of men TO control the
flames. The absence of the usual spring
rains and the prolonged drouth, extending
over a period of more than fifty days,
had rendered the forests peculiarly sus-
ceptible TO Gre. In the "slashes" from
which marketable timber had ben cut and
much refuse left; in the section where
high winds or previous fires had left
much dead timSer, either standing or fall
en-; in the swamps, with their great aecu-
mutation of veget; BILE matter, usually
moist, hut rendered dry as finder by the
drduth, sparks from passing locomotives
o. negle red fires left by hunters and
campers und much inhammable fuel.
Once started, these fires were almost inn
possible .of extinguishment. From the
dead timber and the dried-up swamps the
and giant trees and marketable lumber
alike fell prey to the flames.
Never in the history of the eastern
and northern forests has there been such
destruction. In a score of places in the
Adirondacks fires broke ont and thou
sands of acres were burned over, hotels
and camps in some instances being con-
sumed In these fires not only the tim
bar "a hfarf 4 hut = 10
consisting of the accumulated vegetable
matter of centuries. was consumed to the
rocks, leaving vast tracts of barren, hope
less territory which must forever remain
q desert
In Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Long Island, New Brunswick and else
where the fires ragged. At one time there
was an almost continuous chain of fires
from one side of Maine to the other.
The loss is beyond computation. 1t
will me ant into the millions Of dollars.
The losers are individuals who have lost
property ranging from a few hundred
dollars to hundreds of thousands; great
lumber and paper manufacturing corpo-
rations; club men and millionaires who
owned great tracts for pleasure purposes,
and even the State itself which possesses
extensive reserves.
During the rarehed period many thou
sands of men have been employed in an
effort TO extibsuish the flames or at least
hold them in check The method of war
fare against the devouring element VA
ried according to circumstances and loca-
ton. Where water was available it was
used by means OF fire engines and hose
borrowed from neighboring towns. In
the forest proper men in gangs Of hun
ti-eds felled the trees along a wide
stretch in front of the flames, created as
grea. clearing as possible. threw up the
earth with pick axes and shovels and as
the fire encroached on them fought it
back by beating ii with evergreen
branches and by throwing dirt upon it.
In the more open territories. where vii
lagos and farm buildings were threatened
tine pillow was resorted TO and rows of
burrows turned up in the face Of the adj
yancing FIRE.
The work is n difficult and unpleasant
one, owing to the heat and smoke, but
the men received liberal wages and in
many instances were on duty every min
ute for weeks except for the time neces-
sary for sleeping and eating. Only
small proportion of these fire fighters
could be supplied by the sparsely settled
localities in which the fires ragged, but
thousands were cent in 70 the work by
the railroads, accompanied Ny competent
foremen.