The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-11-18
IN FOREST Fiji; 71j-,
Graphic Description of the AZ.
irondack ConfIagration.
VERY MANY ACRES IN ASHES.
Desperate Efforts Ct rt~o.ntcineers tc
Save Precious Piles Of Lumber and
Houses-Hoar Of Flames Accountant
rnent to Photographs Popular Ditties

save Precious Piles Of Lumber and
Houses-Roar Of Flames Accompani-
ment to Photographs Popular Ditties
On a recent morning d lumberman
who was working on the side of
Mount Hurricane, In the A%dirondacks,
discovered smoke rising from the woods
a few miles north and in the direction
or Big Crow mountain. He reported
this TACT to his boss, and messengers
were hastily sent to warn the people
below to call out the fire warden of
the village Of Keene. Lumbermen
We're known to be working near the
fire, and word was sent to them Of their
danger. This was the first notice Of
the fire, which has been burning stead
lily for some time, reducing 5000 acres
OF shady forest to ashes, says a Hurri-
cane IN. ~ special dispatch to the
New York Tribune. There We're three
homes In the fire zone-those of Messrs.
Tool, Warren and Sexton-but the dan.
ger to these places was not imminent,
and an effort was made to save the
lumber which had been cut in the
woods near the fire by Harold Walter.
All day the men fought fire with the
desperation and courage which make
one always think Of a forest fire as a
battlefield. All the mountaineers speak
Of fighting fire as If it were a living
thing. In the evening most Of the men
returned to the Tool homestead for
food and rest, but two or three remain
ed in the woods to guard from destruc-
ton some se~venty-ive cords of cut
pulp wood. Two men We're going up
with a pack basket Of food for these
men. 1t was a journey Of about a
mile and q half before the precious pile
Of lumber the burning Of which would
spell ruin to Mr.. Walters plans was
reached. After traversing a mile Of
this trail the roaring of the fire came
to the ears, faint at first, but continual
~ increasing in power-a deep, menac-
ing sound which was broken only by
the cracking Of limbs or the thunder of
falling trees. Occasionally a red glare
sprang up.
The men sought We're sitting on the
trail waiting, and, although the day
had brought most of their plans to
naught, they We're still cheerful. All
aroun the trees had burned to ashes,
and now through the dusk the charred
stumps glowed and cracked. Near by
lowered a rocky ledge, with trees still
burning on it. \ gentle breeze sighed
through the forest, and instantly a
thousand red CLEANS shot through the
6nSEv air. cnop1-c 1nono1 fror, n,,n frnn
to another, a bush blaZed up, and a
threatening crackle announced that the
forest was only waiting to flare up
again whenever the slightest breeze
wandered through it. Meanwhile the
woods We're steadily burning round
about.
From the veranda of the Cock and
Devil cottage the fire could be seen
lighting up the northern Sky. Now
and then, when a great pine tree
caught fire, the flames leaped up into
the air far above the treetops, throw
ing a lurid light over everything. AL
though the night was moonless and the
stars obscured by the smoke, one could
see to walk along the roads and trails
several miles from the fire.
The next day the fire fighting forces
We're much increased, and as the fire
was only three-fourths Of a mile from
the houses it vas necessary to begin
digging a trench about them. There
was no water within q mile, the
springs and brooks having dried up in
he drought. The water for cooking
and drinking had to be carried up the
steep incline from Hurricane Lodge to
N~odoneyo, as the group Of buildings
mentioned before are called.
At nightfall the men began struggling
in from the firing line. Supper was
served by Mrs. Tool, who had that
day cooked probably 100 meals. Then
the photograph was brought out on the
veranda, where the tired men lay
about, some asleep, others talking of
the days work, others listening to the
merry tunes ground out by the talking
machine, All the doors We're open, and
men drlfted through the rooms contin-
ually, coming in from the fire. Half
a dozen men sat about the kitchen
munching a late supper.
Through the noise of the photograph,
reminiscent Of the Bowery at midnight,
and the hum Of voices could be family |
heard the low roar Of the advancing |
fire. AS the lumbermen passed in and
out Of the room one caught snatches
Of the conversation, mingled always |
with the metallic melody from the We
randa.
Hello, jim! How's the fire up your
way?
"Say, I'm starved. Haven't had a
bite SINCE
Jerry, that's a good one. Play 1t
again."
"We came lea being cut off up
there today"
On the next morning the fire was
within 400 yards Of Nodoneyo. \ great
force Of men had gone up Hurricane
to measure the wood cut there, so that
they might put in claims for the sum
npr'S work. W. CONS wern coming from