The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1908-10-16
FIERCE FOREST fires.
Enormous Loss Caused In Spring
and Summer OF 1908.
MANY TOWNS DESTROYED.
Timber Burned Equal In Value to Good
Sized Navy OF neutrality-suspicious..
Gus Experience In Fighting Flames.
Historic Forest Fire Incidents.

/ Historic Forest Fire Incidents.
The forest fires which have recently
laid waste whole countries in Minnesota
/ and Michigan aud extended into Wis
cousin. destroying many towns and
making thousands OF persons homeless
/ nave focused the attention OF both
government aud state forest officers on
, the enormous losses of forest wealth
which will be- checked M tO the year
1905.
In the whole northern half OF the
United States, throughout the territory
extending from coast 10 coast the re-
ported destruction 10y forest fires has
been terrific, and il is likely that the
year viii so down as one of the worst
III the last quarter century, says II for
est service bulletin. IL seems that
no part OF the country has escaped tho
work Of the devastating flames. The
latest disasters in Minnesota, Michigan
Nud Wisconsin are the worst of the
many that have visited the lake states
lhlS year other sections have also
suffered from forest fires during IN,
peopl" OF the Pacific coast the Rocky
mountain and the New England states
ANA canada have had Il thorough and
IN some cases Il continuous experience
IN tir" Fighting
ohicrrS In III" United states forest
service at Washington say that II il
doubtful II this years actual losses
from forest fires in all parts OF the
United states win ever be known, but
II Is certain that they will run up 40
hlSh III the millions that the country
VIII he startled when II compilation
or statistics nj the end of the scnson
makes IT possible TO give even the
most conservative figures. Suffice II to
say. were all the timber burned up this
year III all parts Of the country con
N"rted INTO cash II could provide for n
good sized navy of first class battle
ships.
The fires have done good in one way.
lh'y nave called the peoples atten-
ton TO the seriousness of the forest
hre problem, practical foresters saw.
ana have started II widespread move
meht in many states to check them by
adopting rational systems of fire pro-
lection. Among thinking people there
mas been awakened an inteuse inter
est in throwing better protection
around the forests, which grow more
important as natural resource as the
timber supply dwIndles.
lhe terrible work of the flames
which have burned over and DESTROYED
hundreds OF thousands OF acres of tim
Der ANA property TO the value of mil
hons In the lake states recalls to mem
Dry other great forest fires which have
attained historic Importance.
one Of the earliest Of these was the
great Miramich fire In 1929. 1t began
Us greatest destruction about o'clock
II the afternoon OF Oct. of that year
1t place about sixty miles above the
own OF Newcastle, on the Miramichi
liver, in New Brunswick. Before 10
o'clock at night 1t was twenty miles
below Newcastle. In nine hours II
lad destroyed Il belt of forest eighty
niles long and twenty-five miles wide.
over more than 100000 acres almost
very living thing was killed. Even
leAps on the river banks Five hmm
lred and ninety buildings were burned,
ma number Of towns, including New
astle, Chatham and Douglastown.
we're destroyed. One hundred and six
Y persons persisted and nearly a thou
ana head OF stock The loss from
he Miramich fire is estimated at
100000, not including the value OF
he timber
In the majority of such forest fires
$ ms the obstruction of the timber
more serious loss by far than
hat OF the cattle and buildings, for it
aries with 1t the impoverishment OF n
mole region FOR tens or even hundreds
| years afterward. The loss of the
tulnpaSc value of the timber at the
me OF the fire Is but small part of
ne damage to the neighborhood. The
ages that would have been earned I'm
added to the value of the
reduce that would have been pur-
hased to supply the lumber camps
nd the taxes that would have been
evoted to roads and other public i'm
royements, furnish a much truer
leasure of how much sooner or later,
costs region when its forests are
estroyed by fire.
The PeshtigO fire of October, 1877
as still more severe than the Mira
ichl 1t covered an area OF more
IAN 1000 square miles in Wisconsin
nd involved loss in timber and other
'operty of many millions OF dollars.
etwcen l,2OO and 1900 persons per.
he'd
The most destructive fire of more re.
MT years was that which started near
lnckley. MINI, Sept |, 1894. While
e area burned over was less than
some other great fires, the loss OF
e and property was very heavy.
lnckIey and six other towns were de-
royed about 800 lives were lost
ore than 1000 persons were left des.
ute, ana the estimated loss In prop.
~ OF various kinds was So. 600 900.
'ccpt for heroic conduct Of locomo.