Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1910-09-03
FOREST FIRES.

Inc past week forest nreS nave Deen
more numerous in the Black Hills than
any other time in the past year. Every
person between Edgemont and Dead
wood have been on the anxious seal
lest their homes be destroyed by fire.
| Monday afternoon a fire broke out on
the east side of the track near the section
house at Redfern. 1t swept east and
south covering an area 3xS miles and
reaching within two miles of Hill City.
1t required large force of men to COM
bat this fire and they did not get it en-
tirely subdued until late Wednesday
evening. 1t is reported that portion
OF the new buildings at the Sum-
beam mine was destroyed but that
the 10-stamp mill and sawmill was
saved. Also that the hoist at the Bur-
lington mine was burned. This hoist
was about three-fourths of, a mile south
of the Sunbeam mill. The Sunbeam
ground was originally the property OF
Hawk Wright, and has produced some
very rich ore.
The same day fires occurred at Du-
mont and Kirk. Fortunately the Fourth
Cavalry was camped at the Bulldog
ranch, only few miles distant. They
were hurried to Dumont and soon had
the flames under control. The fire at
Kirk was put out by local help.
Tuesday a bridge 4S-feet in length was
burned out between Minnekahta and
Hot Springs. Briggs bridge gang, which
was fighting fire all day at Redfern, was
rushed down there Tuesday night, to
put in new bridge.
Wednesday afternoon a fire broke out
on west side of track at Redfern which
threatened to be quite disastrous as it
swept westward. Forest Supervisor
lines sent 20 men up from here on the
night freight. Between 450 and SOC
men were engaged in the three separate
fires around Redfern, 100 men being
sent down from Deadwood and Lead.
AS the freight train came down Thurs
day afternoon there was no fire in sight
of tho railroad at Redfern, and the fire
fighters were taking much needed rest.
At the same time fire was raging q
few miles north Of Mystic and just
across Rapid creek from the junction oi
the Burlington Route and the R. c., b
II. & w. road. That being such rug,
ged country it is hard to combat the
flames amidst those deep canyons and
abrupt cliffs. That being in Supt. Kel'
leter's district We have no details.
A fire in the Custer Peak district We'd
nesday burned over an area Of 2,00C
acres.
Thursday afternoon hre started in
Tenderfoot gulch, but was put out by
the section men who were patroling the
track.
Other fires were reported in the North
ern Hills Thursday.
To the casual observer it looks as
though it would be matter of economy
for the Burlington system to equip their
engines on the "high line" with oil
burners. Whether set by engines or
not, all forest fires contiguous to a rail.
road are charged to that road. No mat
ter how cautious the man at the throttle
may be, when his engine is doing its
leyel-best on steep grade it is liable tc
throw some sparks. 1t has been noticed
that most of the fires along the railroads
start on the apex Of the highest grades
where the sparks are soon famed into a
blaze by stiff breeze.
While the Forest Service men do al
in their power there is not enough avail
able men In the Hills to cope with the
flames when strong winds as we usually
have scatter burning embers-destroy'
ing everything in its course. Ever
though no lives are sacrificed the loss o
property is appalling However, it il
no funeral of ours.