The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-09-22
Heat from Forest Flames
So Great That Soil
Is Burning.
PHILADELPHIA FACES
A WATER FAMINE
Pjttsburg Fears Pestilence as a
Result of Drying Up of
Streams.

Reports received by THE EVENING
STAB show that the forest fires rag
ing from Maine 10 Wisconsin are prob
ably the most disastrous the country
has ever experienced. Philadelphia us
threatened with a water famine and
Pittsburg faces disease as a result of
the long continued drought.
- II Is reported from Michigan that as
"a result "f long drought and continued
heat from the burning woods, the soil
In farms has actually taken fire, and is
being consumed.
Near Foster City, Mich, six persons
were burned to death.
Adirondack State Park, N. Y, is in
danger Of being fire-s swept.
Newark is in no danger of a water
famine from the drought. Officials said
today that there was enough water at
the city's Pequannock watershed to
last half year
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 22.-The
drought which is causing so much suf-
fering and damage in all parts of the
country rs beginning to have it's effect
in this city. The Schuylkill river, from
which the city secures its supply of
water, has NOT peen SO low since 1869.
Mills have shut down,
The reservoirs are very low. No rain
has fallen in this section for almost
month.
PITTSBURG, Sept. 22.-The drought
is menacing Pittsburg in serious form
There is imminent danger of epidemics
;. Of typhoid fever and other deadly
scourges, due to the low stages of the
rivers and the concentration of germs
and poisonous substances in the small
volume of water now flowing through
the rivers beds.
NORTH CREEK, ~. l., Sept GA
line of forest fire, eighteen miles long
and ten miles wide is eating it's way
from the Hudson River at Truman
westward toward the interior of the
Adirondack State Park. A force of 200
men under Fire Warden Herrill and
Game Protector Somerville are fighting
this fire by day and night. They have
been unable to hold 1t in check.
Westward from here, at Thirteenth
Lake. Indian Lake and Cedar River,
thousands of acres of timber are burn
ing.
unable to obtain water even for drink
ing purposes, and fighting the flames
has'to be done entirely with pick and
axe.
MARINETTE, Wis, Sept. 22-Fos-
ter City Mich, was destroyed by flames
driven in from the forest fires and six
lives lost during the confiagration.
The forest fires are now four miles
from Marinette, on all sides.
Forest fires are also so close to
Niagara, Faithorn Junction and In
gals, Mich, that everything is packed
and trains are ready to carry the people
away If high wind arises.
Calumet, Mich, reports forest nres
assuming a threatening aspect all over
Northern Michigan, and several towns
in danger of destruction.
1t is said that 900 feet of standing
lumber In the vicinity of Point Abbaye,
owned by Hebard G. Son, burned.
Lake Superior is almost surrounded
by fires, which stretch for hundreds OF
miles. Vessels are compelled constantly
to sound for signals.
DETROIT. Mich, Sept. 22.-B. r.
Emery, superintendent of Mackinac
Island State Park, said:
.'The losses and hardships are great
er than the newspapers have reported.
In the Mackinaw region the whole
country back of st. Ignace and the
Snow Islands is burning. Clear down
the shore from the straits to Alpena,
about seventy-five miles, there is fire
everywhere"
Reports from Escanaba say farms
are burning up. Not simply buildings
and fences, nor even crops. but literally
the soil. The earth is of peculiar COM
nosition. so that extreme drought has
caused it to become subject to flames
six persons were burned to death near
Escanaba.
MILWAUKEE, Wis, Sept. 2.-Not
for thirty-seven years has Wisconsin
experienced such a drought as the
present Special prayers for rain were
ssaid in all the Catholic churches in the
city and throughout the Milwaukee
archdiocese, in compliance with re-
quest sent out b. Archbishop Meesmer
Rhinelander. Mosinee. New Richmond
and other lumber towns are surrounded
by flames and millions of dollars worth
of timber has been burned
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