296 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION. 



July, 



FOREST FIRE RECORD. 

 MANY DIvSASTROUS FIRES DURING JUNE. 



THERE were many forest fires dur- 

 ing June, some of wliicli were the 

 most destructive of recent years. Sev- 

 eral people lost their lives in these fires, 

 while the damage to standing timber, 

 conservatively estimated, must have 

 been near $5,000,000. 



Washingfton. On June 20, 550,000,- 

 000 feet of valuable timber along the 

 line of the Northern Pacific Railroad 

 was destroyed by fire. This timber 

 was located in five districts in the vi- 

 cinitj' of Buckle}^ Enumclaw, Lester, 

 and Hot Springs, and covered an area 

 of about sixty-three square miles, all of 

 it being convenient to the railroad. The 

 estimated value of the timber destroyed 

 is $1,100,000. 



At Buckley, Enumclaw, Lester, and 

 Hot Springs the greatest danger from 

 the fire was experienced. At one time 

 many of the residents of these places 

 had their household goods loaded in 



wagons and teams attached ready to 

 move on an instant's notice. Farm 

 property in the vicinit}' of Enumclaw 

 was greatl}' damaged. The big saw- 

 mill of the White River Lumber Com- 

 pany, together with twenty houses, mill 

 buildings, drj^ kilns, and a large amount 

 of sawed lumber were destroyed. It is 

 thought that several lumbermen lost 

 their lives in the Buckley fire. 



The Tacoma fire department was 

 called upon to aid in fighting the fire at 

 Hot Springs, the well-known health re- 

 sort. Firemen with engines and hose 

 were sent by special train, and by hard 

 work the large hotel at the Springs 

 was saved. 



The Page Lumber Company's camp 

 at Eagle Gorge was destroyed and the 

 employes had a narrow escape. The 

 fire came upon them very suddenl)^, 

 and only a narrow path to safety re- 

 mained; through this men, women, and 



RESUIyT OF FOREST FIRES IN BATTI.EMENT MESA RESERVE, COI^ORADO. 



