The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-09-22
DROUTH AND FOREST
FIRES IN MANY STATES
Pennsylvania, Ohio and West
Virginia Safer.
FARMERS STOP THEIR FLOWING
e.azing Timber Menaces Many Towns
ard Villages-Flames Spread
Rapidly Volunteers Making
Desperate Fight to Stop Fire.

ard Villages-Flames Spread
Rapidly - Volunteers Making
Desperate Fight to 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-
iutely dry, drouth which has practi-
eally 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
ap 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 100000. Over
one thousand men have been fighting
she flames for forty-eight hours,
working without food or sleep.
The forests on all sides of the city
Of Cory, Pa, are ablaze, and the
heavy smoke makes it almost impos-
sible to breathe. Farmers are MAX
ing desperate efforts to check the
names by blowing around them, but
the fire is rapidly spreading.
At all places the populace is pray
ing for rain. During recent open
air prayer meeting near here a brief
thunder shower occurred. Instead of
seeking shelter the congregation re-
naiued 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
CT streams are dry, and their beds are
being used as wagon roads. At
Number of places along the Ohio and
West Virginia shores OF the Ohio
River there is not sign of water
Near Marietta. Ohio, the large
steamboat Tornado. with 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 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.
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 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
tions.
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
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 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
corn will be only half 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 ant
streams never before known to havs
become exhausted have dried up
Farmers in some places have virtual
ly given up blowing, because the sol
is as fine as powder, and are not sow
ing seed, as the top soil is unable t.
sprout the grain. There is also mucl
inconvenience in providing water 70
livestock, some farmers being com
PEELED to haul water for miles Read
ing reports the Schuylkill River q
that point lower than it haG been il
fifty years, and the Lehigh River i
also very low. Prayers for rain wer
offered in hundreds of churche
throughout the State, and it is feared
that if the dry season continues mucl
sickness will develop in localitie
where water is badly needed 70
flushing purposes.
Standard Oil Letters Burned.
A Standard Oil Company offcia