New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-01

be underestimate by persons familiar with the
exact conditions.
Many Of those whom bitter experience has quail
aed 20 speak with knowledge on the subject OF |
forest fires IN the Adirondacks say that tho great
precipitation Of moisture OF the last eight ten
months might be followed by another long dry
season, favorable 70 Just such conhagrationB
swept the region IN 1903 They urge upon al own
ers OF property within the Adirondack territory
the urgent need for special vaochluuess and point
out the necessity for absolute compliance with
the letter OF the law, not only the part CT land
owners, camp occupants and their employees, but
Representatives Of corporate interests well Il Is
pointed out that for a property owner within the
confines OF the great Adirondack park simply 20
trust 70 luck that his property Is not destroyed or
badly damaged in some new forest confederation
is as criminal as # is foolish Every owner Of
preserve every camp owner and every other person
interested IN the Adirondacks, say they should
investigate the matter fully. acquaint himself OF
herself with and practise every known precauton.
In this connection attention is called 10 Circular
No &C. OF the Bureau Of Forestry, United States
Department Of Agriculture. This circular. which
IS Issued by Forester Clifford Pinchot IS the re-
port OF II. n. suter, agent Of the bureau, who
was detailed 10 Investigate the extent and causes
OF the Adirondack fires Of 1903.
This report, uniting Il does tho damage re-
corded in irregular and incomplete reports, made
a. the time OF the fires. IS revelation to the gen
eral public, and no better textbook on the subject
could be placed IN the hands Of the sceptlcaL The
document shows among other things that between
April % and June g. 1903. more than six hundred
thousand acres OF timber land In Northern New
York were burned over. Though about $4,000 was
expended in fighting the fires, they were finally
checked only by heavy rainfaIs. The total direct
loss was approximately $4,000 but a loss no less
serious though impossible TO reduce 10 dollars and
cents. that caused by the destruction OF young
10 ai 10 M adj a. 80 ~,
damage done TO the forest soil. through burning
out Of vegetable matter absolutely necessary TO
healthy tree growth, can be given
Some idea OF the damage done In the most beau
uful portions and private parks in the Adirondacks
BY the fires OF 1903 may be given briefly from the re-
port
The fires which swept the Rockefeller preserve
were the most notable. More than forty thousand
acres devastated. Mr. Suffers report calls at
tentOn 10 the fact that many Of the fires on this
tract originated under suspicious circumstances.
desperate effort was made 10 check the flames on
this preserve. Hundreds OF Italian laborers were
sent from this city TO the scene Of the fires but
mainly because Of IFS trying nature and the nov
city OF The work their labors proved Of little avail
The De Camp tract another large one to suffer
ten thousand acres being burned over. An area Of
about the same size on tho tract Of A A Low OF
Brooklyn. near Horseshoe Pond was burned over
On Nehasane Preserve twelve thousand acres
were burned. Besides the damage done TO the pre-
or working plan Of the Bureau Of Forestry, under
which numbering was being done. II was only
through the efforts Of fire fighters from Herkiner
and Hon equipped with city IRE engines hurried
10 the scene special trains that the attractive
camp building We're saved. Steam pumps mount
&C on freight car did effective work -Four hun
dred men fought this fire at q cost OF 5000 Five
thousand acres q tho William c. Whitney pr,-
serve and two thousand acres Of the Brandreth
preserve were burned over in this fire
The only che o. the summer hotels in the Adj
rondacks 70 be destroyed in the various fires was
Adirondack Lodge. a large rustic structure a short
distance from the village OF Lake Placid The fire
IN which this hotel and adjoining buildings a
single MILL several small buildings and a number
OF cattle were destroyed covered an area OF about
fourteen thousand acres killing practically every
tree in its path and resulting IN a loss Of about
$4,000
The LOOMS camps az the west end OF little
Tupper Lake were burned at loss OF $780, and
N the Catlin Lake nre a tract OF ten thousand
acres was burned over
IN what is known the Dix IRE. in North Hud-
son, over eighteen thousand acres were burned
Tho Roaring Brook fire burned over seventeen
thousand acres in the towns Of Keene and Eliza
DethtoWn. In Eeene Valley n FIRE burned from
cascade 70 point near st. Hubert's Inn a dis
fance OF about nine miles.
the total area OF State land burned over vas
LD'olo acres and the total OF private holdings
was bs9eS5 acres. Large as these figures are ~.
DO not apply 70 the entire forest area burned 49,,
simply 70 that portion within the big Adirondack
Fstk and its immediate neighborhood
me Forests were IN prime condition for .,,.+ -,
..-est.uess es took place. for a long dronth
eo NAae them ~ dry a. finder. Tia avsrss.