The Penn's Grove record., 1908-09-25
DR0UTH AND FOREST
FIRES IN MANY STATES
Pennsylvania, Ohio and West
Virginia Suffer.
FARMERS STOP THEIR 0 W
F-azing Timber Menaces Many Towns
and Villages-F1ames Spread
Rapidly - Volunteers Making
Desperate Fight to Stop Fire.

Desperate Fight to Stop Fire.
P1ttsburg.-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
n numerous small streams abso-
lutely dry, a drouth which has practi-
cally 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
up miles of territory, while thousands
OF persons are doing everything in
their power to check the flames.
Meetings are feld at which prayers
for 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 Oh ali sides of the city
of Cory, Pa, are ablaze, and the
heavy smoke makes it almost impos-
sible to breathe. Farm ,rs are maxi
ing desperate efforts to check the
flames by blowing around them, but
the fire is rapidly spreading.
At all places the populace is pray
ing for rain. During a recent open
mir nrouar foAofi-r r-or 49,. I..zr
thuLder shower occurred. Instead of
seeking shelter the congregation re-
manned 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
er streams are dry, and their beds are
being used as wagon roads. At a
number 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 the river. At many points small
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
p4aeed-out CT 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.
1t 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 and other fish have
pnriShpd Inv the thousands
The water supply of H~ollidaysburg
has been greatly decreased, and all
use of water except for domestic pur-
poses mas been prohibited. The
drouth has blighted every growing
thing, not only the products of the
fields and gardens, but also those of
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
corr will be only half a crop. The
Pennsylvania Railroad is pumping
locomotives, anG 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 to
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 at
that point lower than it ha been in
fifty years, and the Lehigh River is
also very low. Prayers for rain were
offered in hundreds of churches
throughout the State, and it is feared
that if the dry season continues much
sickness will develop in localities
where water is badly needed for
flushing purposes.
Standard Oil Letters Burned.
A Standard Oil Company official
caid 114+ore dae;rad h, Tho r0uo.n-