138 NINTH REPORT OF THE 



" Plattsburg Sentinel," May 29, 1903. — On Wednesday, while a man named 

 Sancombe was driving along the road between Hunter's Home and Goldsmith's, 

 his horse was struck by a falling tree, which had burned off near the bottom, and 

 was instantly killed. 



' Ticonderoga Sentinel," May 7, 1903. — A farmer's boy near Everton went to 

 the pasture after a horse, and both boy and horse were burned to death. 



''-Evening Journal," Glens Falls, June 9, 1903. — Yesterday, at Indian Lake, 

 some cattle were turned out in a swamp which had been burned over, but which was 

 apparently free from fire by reason of the recent rains. However, the cattle sank 

 into the soft earth and fire burst forth in several places, seriously burning the 

 animals. 



"Troy Record," June 4, 1903. — A dispatch from Plattsburg says that at 

 Cadyville the woods were all afire near the village. The Catholic Cemetery 

 was burned over, and a large force of men finally succeeded in saving the 

 Catholic Church. At Twin Pond, on the Chateaugay Railroad, a wooden trestle 

 took fire from the forest fires, and a freight engine broke through, carrying 

 Engineer Kelly down with it. He escaped, however, with slight bruises. 



"Essex County Republican," May 29, 1903. — George McDonald's camps near 

 Tupper Lake were destroyed. Mrs. Joseph Prevost had given birth to a child 

 only a few hours before. She was carried on a mattress to the railway, where she 

 was placed on a hand-car and removed from danger. Members of her rescuing 

 party were severely burned. A woman was left in one of the camps through 

 some mistake, and when this was discovered George McDonald and Chester Carr 

 ran through the flames and rescued her. They found her on her knees praying, 

 and, strange to say, this camp did not burn, although another, a short distance 

 away and seemingly in much less danger, was destroyed. 



The loss of life in all of these fires, if any, was small. There were reports 

 from time to time of persons who were burned to death, but thus far I have 

 been unable to verify these rumors. 



While I was at the Fulton Chain fire there was a story afloat that two of the 



Italians belonging to a large gang sent in by the New York Central had lost 



their way, or been cut off by the flames, and were burned to death. I cannot 



learn, however, that their bodies were found, as would probably have been the 



case if this accident had happened. The Utica Herald of June fifth states that 



William Howe, of Lake Placid, was shut in by the flames, while fighting fire 



near the foot of Mt. Marcy, and smothered to death by smoke. I have been 



told since that this was a mistake. In view of the thousands of men who were 



at work under extremely dangerous conditions it is a matter of congratulation 



that there was no greater loss of life. 



W. F. F. 



