Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-24
FOREST FIRE RAGING
Vast Tracts of California Tim
Der Threatened.
famed BY 5O-MILE GALE
One Town Already Destroyed by the
Flames.
OTHER PLACES THREATENED
famed BY 5O-MILE GALE
OTHER PLACES THREATENED

Train Carrying Refugees Dashes
Through Walls of Blazing Woods.
States Blamed for Losses.
EUREKA. Cal. September PA great
forest fire is raging near here. famed by
fifty-mile gale, and already the plant
OF the Kestrom Lumber Company, val
l ed at $4,000. has been destroyed. The
fire is threatening the vast tracts of red
wood timber lying between kelstroms
and Trinidad. to which latter place refu-
gees are flocking from many camps.
The million dollar plant of the Redwood
Lumber Company is directly in the course
of the flames.
A passenger train engine arrived at
Samoa last night carrying refugees from
Luffenholz and Fieldbrook. the former
town having been destroyed by the
flames.
The refugees were hemmed in by the
flames. and the daring trip through the
fire on the train was proposed. The dash
was made with the flames so close that
the paint on the cars was bllstered IN
the heat.
Opinion of Forestry Bureau.
The bureau of forestry places the blame
for the many forest fires now raging on
the states in which the CONGREGATIONS oc-
cur A bulletin sent out from the bureau
this morning says that the fires might
have been prevented if the states had
employed an adequate number of men to
patrol the woods and put out the nreS
how nd loo
gers come in for their share of scoldlng
also, as the forest service people say
they ought to be more careful in dispos-
ing of brushwood after logging
w J MCGEE has made an estimate which
shows that million dollars day has
been lost during the fires. National forests
are patrolled by an army of rangers and
guards. Telephone lines have been con-
structed connecting rangers stations with
forest headquarters in order that flres
may be promptly reported.
A telegram received this morning from
Raymond w. Pullman of the forest serv-
ice who is in Minnesota investigating
forest fire conditions, estimates the loss
in the Hibbing and Chisholm districts at
from five to ten million dollars. with the
fires still burning. Drenching rains have
fallen for five hours. but thrty-six hour
rain is needed TO make all safe.
According to this report. practically all
the district is cut over county. Brush
the only hope for putting an end to them.
Combination of Bad Conditions.
These Minnesota forest fires are due
to a combination of bad conditions, local
indifference and the lack of thoroughly
effective protection" said Smith Riley,
chief inspector Of the national forest dis
trict which includes the Minnesota ma
tional forest, who is now in Washington
after a trip through the fire region.
"Of course, after a prolonged drought
| the woods are very infiammable and fires
are sure to occur. The only way to keep
| them down is to put them out quickly
wherever they start This is the method
used by the forest officers on the national
forests. Forests officers are constantly on
the watch, and at the first sign of a fire
rush TO get it out before it reaches any
size. In this they are assisted by the
local population. which has come to real
ize the importance of preventing de-
structive fires and cooperate heartily
with the service.
I'm Minnesota there seems to be little
sentiment against fires which do not
threaten settlements or valuab BILE stand
ing timber. The state has warden
system. but 1t is altogether inadequate
under such conditions as the present
Bear in mind that nearly all the pine
country of the lake states has been
cut over and burned over in the past
so that it is either brush land or in
ferior timber, Of which no one takes
much account. Consequently no one is
interested to put out smoldering fires.
Carelessness of Campers.
Il myself, when l was in Minnesota
a few days ago, saw a number of these
fires which were due to carelessness of
campers in leaving their fires unax-
tinguished. The whole country was
overhung by pail Of smoke and the
woods were like finder. Yet parties
moving through the wilderness would
leave their camping places Oh the
shores of the lakes without taking the
| trouble to see that the camp Ares were
put out.
Other fires which saw were the re-
suit of brush burning by farmers. and
! still others had started from railroads
These are mostly the causes Of forest
| fires-carelessness in the use of fire by
sportsmen, camping parties and others
| in the woods. brush burning and loco
motive sparks. They will always have
to be reckoned with. and the fire prob
lem is how to reckon with them
Fire patrol during the dangerous sea-
son is absolutely necessary in forested re-
gions If fires are to be kept down. In re-
gions of heavy timber the owners main
tain a patrol system of their own But
from the point Of view of the future the
greatest need is to keep fires out of cut
over lands. which the owners are general
lily unable unwilling to protect The
fires on such lands are not spectacular.
yet as they run over the ground they kill
every little Seeding. and SO make impos-
sible a future forest.
THE forested states ought to find it
worth while to protect this form of prop
erty. just as cities protect city property
through their fire departments well
organized state system can be made of
great educational value, as well as fur
nishing a means Of attacking fires after
they start by teaching the indifferent
that small fires are dangerous and enforc-
ing regulations against careless use of
fire. Education is far more effective than
laws and penalties as deterrent"
PENDING BRYAN'S INQUIRY