The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1908-10-01
HISTORIC FOREST FIRES.

The terrible work If the flames
which have burned over and destroy
ed hundreds of thousands of acres OF
timber and property to the value OF
millions in the lakes states, recalls to
memory other great forest fires which
have attained historic Importance.
One of the earliest of these was the
great Miramchi fire of 1925. 1t be-
gan its greatest destruction about one
o'clock in the afternoon of October
of that year, at place about 60 miles
above the town of Newcastle, on the
Miramichi river, in New Brunswick.
Before ten o'clock at night it was 20
miles below Newcastle. In nine hours
it had destroyed a belt of forest so
miles long and 25 miles wide. Over
more than two and one-half million
acres almost every living thing was
killed. Even the fish were afterwards
found dead in heaps on the river
banks Five hundred and ninety
buildings were burned, and number
of town, including Newcastle, Chat
ham and Douglastown, were Destroy
ed One hundred and sixty persons
persisted, and nearly thousand head
of stock. The loss from the Mir
amichi fire is estimated at 100000,
not including the value Of the timber
In the majority Of such forest flres
as this the destruction of the timber
is more serious loss, by far, than
that Of the cattle and buildings, for it
carries with it the impoverishment OF
! a whole region for tens or even hun
dreds of years afterwards. The loss
| of the stumpage value of the timber
at the time OF the fire is but small
part of the damage to the nelghbor.
hood. The wages that would have
been earned in numbering, added to
the value of the produce that would
have been purchased to supply the
lumber camps, and the taxes that
would have been devoted to roads and
other public improvements, furnish a
much truer measure OF how much,
sooner or later, 1t costs region when
its forests are destroyed by fire.
The Peshtigo fire Of October, 1871,
was still more severe than the Mira
michi 1t covered an area of more
than 1000 square miles in Wisconsin,
and involved loss in timber and
other property, of many millions OF
dollars Between 1900 and 1900 per-
sons persisted, including nearly half
the population OF Peshtigo. at that
time a town OF 1000 inhabitants.
were most destructive in Michigan. A
strip about 40 miles wide and 1870
miles long, extending across the CEN
trail part of the state, from Lake Mich
igan to Lake Huron, was devastated
The estimated loss in timber was
about 100000, 900 feet board mea-
sure, and in money over $10,000,0O0
Several hundred persons persisted.
In the early part of September, 1881
great fires covered more than 1900
square miles In various parts of Mich
igan. The estimated loss, in property
in addition to many hundred thousand
: acres of valuable timber, was more
than $2,300,0O0 Over 5000 persons
were made destitute, and the number
: OF lives lost is variously estimated at
from $50 to 500.
The most destructive fire OF more
recent years was that which started
near Hinckley, Minnesota, September
1, 1894. While the area burned over
was less than in some other great
fires, the loss OF life and property was
very heavy. Hinckley and SIX other
towns were destroyed, about 500 lives
were lost. more than 1000 persons
were left destitute, and the estimated
loss in property OF various kinds wal
$25, 100000. Except for the heroic
conduct OF locomotive engineers and
: other railroad men the loss Of life
would have been much greater
This fire was all the more deplor.
, able, because It was wholly unneces'
) sary. For many days before the hikf
I Wind came and drove It into uno6n
+ trollable fury. II wAs burning 1loW1l
: close to the town Of Hinckioy. AZ
o could have been easily extin1uiene