The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-09-25

was 20 miles below Newcastle. In
nine hours it had destroyed belt Of
forest 80 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 a
number Of towns, including Newcas-
tie, Catham, and Douglastown, were
destroyed. One hundred and sixty
persons perishcd, and nearly q thous-
and head Of stock. The loss from the
Miramichi fire is estimated at $780,
600 not including the value Of the
timber.
Tn the majority Of such forest fires
as this the destruction of the timber
is a more serious loss, by far, than
that of the cattle and buildings, for it
carries with it the impovcrishmcnt Of
whole region for tens or even hun
drcds Of years afterwards. The loss
OF the stnmpagc value Of the timber
at the time Of the fire is but a small
part Of the damage to The neighbor-
hood. The wages that would have
been earned in numbering, added to
the value of the produce and would
have been purchased to supply the
lumber camps, and the taxes that
would have been devoted to roads
and other public improvements, fur
nish a much trucr measure Of how
much, sooner or later, it costs a re-
gion when it's forests are DESTROYED
by fire.
The Pcshtigo fire of October, 1871,
was still more severe than the Miram-
ichi. 1t covered an area of more
than 1000 square miles in Wisconsin,
and involved loss in timber and 9TH
or property, Of many millions Of dol
lars. Between 1900 and ! 800 persons
pcrishcd, including nearly half the po-
pulation Of Pcshtigo, at that time a
town Of 1000 inhabitants. Other
fires Of about the same time we're
most destructive in Michigan. A
strip about 90 miles wide and $50
miles long, extending across the CEN
trail part Of the State, from Lake
Michigan to Lake Huron, was de-
vastatcd. The estimated loss in
timber was about 100000, ,000 feet
broad measure. and in money over
$l0.000.00n. Several hundred persons
prrshcd
In the early part Of September,
1881. great fires covered moro than
l.S00 square miles in various parts Of
Michigan. The estimated loss. in
property, in addition to many hun
drcd Thousand acres Of valuable tim
bcr. was moro than &2,300,000. Over
1000 persons were made destitute,
and the number Of lives lost is var
ionsly estimated at from $50 TO 800.
The most destructive fire of more
recent years was that which started
near lIinclllcy, Minnesota, September
!. 1894. While the area burned over
was less than in some other great
fires, the loss Of life and property
was very heavy. Ilinckloy 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 was $25.000.000. Except for
the heroic conduct Of locomotive en-
glnccrS and other railroad men loss
of life would have been much greater.
This fire was all the more dcplora-
bic. because it was wholly mncccs-
Sary. For many days before the
high wind came and drove it into un-
r"ntr"llahlc fury. it was burning
slowly close to the town Of TTincklcv
and could have been put out.
nR HIITET'G All IJo>I,,,