The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-10-14
.DROUTH AND FOREST
FIRES IN MANY STATES
Pennsylvania, Ohio and West
Virginia Suffer.
FARMERS STOP THEIR FLOWING
Gazing Timber Menaces Many Towns
and Villages-Flemes Spread
Rapidly - Volunteers Making
Desperate Fight 10 Stop Fire.

Desperate Fight 10 Stop Fire.
Pittsburg.-With forest fires de-
stroying much valuable property, the
enforced suspension Of many indus
tries, crops ruined, livestock suffer-
ing, river navigation at a standstill
and numerous small streams abso-
tutely dry, a drouth which has practi-
,ally been unbroken for over two
months is fast assuming serious pro-
portions in Western Pennsylvania,
Eastern Ohio and West Virginia.
At night raging forest fires light
1p miles of territory, while thousands
If persons are doing everything in
their power to check the flames.
Meetings are held at which prayers
sor rain are offered.
Forest fires in Somerset County,
about thirty miles from Astoria, have
destroyed three lumber camps and
about ten million feet of lumber and
timber, valued at $4,000. Over
one thousand men have been fighting
The flames for forty-eight hours,
working without food or sleep.
The forests on all sides Of the city
If Cory, Pa, are ablaze, and the
! heavy smoke makes 1t almost impos-
;ible to breathe. Farmers are maxi
ing desperate efforts to check the
danes by blowing around them, but
the fire is rapidly spreading.
At all places the populace is pray
..- g., ro,D n,,rirr q rnnant oman
air prayer meeting near here a brief
| thunder shower occurred. Instead of
seeking shelter the congregation re-
NAMED in the rain, singing Praise
God From Whom All Blessings
Flow"
A tour through portions Of the
! three States shows the seriousness OF
the drouth. A majority OF the small
sr streams are dry, and their beds are
being used as wagon roads. At a
humber of places along the Ohio and
West Virginia shores of the Ohio
River there is not a sign Of water.
Near Marietta, Ohio, the large
! steamboat Tornado. with a tow of
barges for Pittsburg, is lying on a
bed of gravel in the middle of what
was LuG IlNSl. "a lllohy pOAhSS SAA~
! streams of water extend a few yards
from either shore, and boys, after
having crossed these, can be seen
! playing ball in the middle of the Ohio
! River.
Telegraph and telephone companies
having cables crossing the river are
busily engaged in digging trenches in
! the riverbed so the cables can be
placed out of sight.
Many industries along the river
are suspended on account OF lack OF
water for power purposes, and many
/ others will be idle unless rain falls
soon.
It is said of the streams now dry
that it is the first time in fifty years
that such a condition has existed.
In Pittsburg harbor there are be-
tween fifteen and twenty million
bushels of coal ready to be shipped
; to points south and west OF this city.
Unless this fuel reaches its destina-
ton before snow comes considerable
suffering will result from a coal
famine. The great mass of coal has
almost exhausted the supply of barges
here, and the probabilities are many
of the river coal mines, employing
more than fifteen thousand miners,
will be compelled to suspend opera
lions.
Reports from the foothills on the
eastern side of the Allegheny Noun
! tains say the drouth is the %severest in
twenty years. No rain has fallen for
! ten weeks, swamps, streams and
springs are dried up, and many OF
the larger streams have become mere
rivulets. Trout ard other fish have
persisted by the thousands.
The water supply of Hollidaysburs
has been greatly decreased, and all
use of water except for domestic pur.
poses has been prohibited. The
drouth has blighted every growing
thing, not only the products Of the
fields and gardens, but also those o.
the forests, and there will be scarcely
any chestnuts or hickory nuts, as the
leaves have fallen from the trees and
the nuts have ~shrivelled up.
There will not be one-third a potato
crop, and unless rain comes soon the
corn will be only half a crop. the
PENNSYLVANIA Railroad is pumping
water from the Juniata River for its
locomotives, and men have been
warned not to drink from the engine
tanks, as the Juniata water is i'm
pure.
Practically all the rural sections
of the State are suffering as a result
of the dry weather. Wells and
streams never before known to have
become exhausted have dried up.
Farmers in some places have virtual.
ly given up blowing, because the soil
is as fine as powder, and are not SOW
ing seed, as the top soil is unable tp
sprout the grain. There is also much
inconvenience in providing water for
livestock, some farmers being com
PEELED to haul water for miles. Read.
ing reports the Schuylkill River al
that point lower than it ha1 been IL
fifty years, and the Lehigh River i:
also very low. Prayers for rain We're
offered in hundreds Of churche;
throughout the State, and it is feared
that if the dry season continues much
sickness will develop in localities
where water is badly needed fol
flushing purposes.
ct,,JopJ oil Tottorc Ruppe1.