The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-09-25
HISTORIC FOREST FIREs.
conaagra:icns That Have Wrought
Havoc in This Country.

The terrible work OF the flames which
| have burned over and destroyed hundreds
| ut thousands of acres OF timber aud prom.
/ prty % the value oi millions in the Lake
| states, recalls to memory other great for.
| ct fires which have sustained historic
| importance.
tine OF the earliest Of these was the
great Miramichi hrc Of 1925, II began its
greatest destruction ahnut one O'Clock in
tie afternoon of Oct. : Of that year, at a
place about ca miles above the town OF
Newcastle. On the Mifamieh river, in
New Brunswick. Before 10 o'clock at
night il was 20 miles below Newcastle
la nine hours ii had destroyed a belt of
forest 50 miles long and Is miles wide
On more than two and onehalt million
acres, almost every living thing was killed
Even the fish were afterwards found dead
in heaps on the river banks Five hun
dred and ninety buildings were burned,
and a number of towns, including New
castle. Chatham and Douglastown, were
DESTROYED. One hundred and sixty per.
sons persisted, and nearly a thousand head
Of stock The loss from the Airamlehi
lire i estimated at 100000, not including
the value OF the timber.
In the majority of such forest fires as
this the destruction of the timber Is
more serious loss by far than that of the
cattle and buildings, for it carries with
il the impoverishment of a whole region
for tens or even hundreds OF years alter,
wards. The loss Of the stumpage value OF
the timber at the time OF the fire Is but
small part of the damage TO the neghbor-
hood. The wages that would have been
earned in numbering, added to the value
of the produce that would have been pur
ehased to supply the lumber camps, and
the taxes that would have been devoted
to roads and other public improvements
furnish a much truer measure OF now
much. sooner or later, it costs a region
when its forests are destroyed by fire.
The Peshtigo fire of October, ISL, was
still more severe than the Miramlehi. 1t
covered an area OF more than INV square
miles in Wisconsin, and involved loss
in timber and other property OF many
millions of dollars. Between l,2O0 and
800 persons persisted, including nearly
half tie population of Peshtigo, at that
time a town of 1000 inhabitants. Other
fires of about the same time were most
destructive in Michigan. a strip about
10 miles wide and 1870 miles long, extend
ing across the central part OF the state,
from Lake Michigan to Lake Huron, was
devastated. The estimated loss IN I'm,
her was about 4,000,O0O,O0O feet, board
measure, and in money over, sloooo,ooo'
Several hundred pelsoHS pelisiei' ,aa,
In the early part of September, 1851,
great fires covered more than l,soo square r,
miles in various parts of Michigan. The
estimated loss. in property, IN addition TO
many hundred thousand acres OF valuable
t t" was more than s2300,OOo. Over
( 600 persons were made destitute, ana
he number of lives lost is variously estl-
mated at from $50 to 800.
The most destructive fire OF more re-
cent wears was that which started. near
Hincllev, Mimi, Sept. !, 1894. While the
area burned over was less than IN some
other 9TH great fires, the loss Of life and prop.
errSi was very heavy. Hinckley and SIX SIX
other towns were destroyed, about ooo
ives ives we're lost, more than 1000 persons
we're Wv left destitute and the, estimated Los Loss
i; m nroperty Of various kinds was s2o'eop,'
o 90 Except for the heroic conduct Of 70,
o oomotive engineers and other railroad
men men The loss of life would have been much
7 This fire was all the more deplorabble,
because It was wholly unnecessary rol
many many days before the high WIND came y
and drove it into uncomfortable Jury lt
wa" was burning slowly close to the town 81
Hincklev, and could have been put out