100 Report of the Forest Commission. 



The number of acres so far destroyed, and, in fact, they are practically 

 ruined, for the soil has all been burned down through to the clay, is about 600 

 acres, 400 in Portage township and 200 in Copley. The present conflagration 

 is located on a piece of land never before visited by a fire. 



The fire was started about 30 days ago on the farm of Royal Brockway, from 

 a brush heap which was being burned. The loss to the timber will amount 

 to about $30 per acre, making a total at present of over $18,000, while the loss 

 of soil will more than double this. The swamp runs from the Copley road, on 

 the south, to the Hawkins estate, on the north, and is east of the Medina road. 

 Any amount of game is being chased from the swamp by the flames, rabbits 

 coming out in droves. 



Youngstown, O., September 4. — A field fire, which nearly consumed the 

 town of Church Hill, six miles north of this city, started in a pasture last even- 

 ing. The entire town of several hundred people turned out to fight the flames, 

 and save their homes and property. Nearly all wells and springs were dry, 

 and the task taxed to the uttermost the strength and resources of the villagers. 

 Fifty acres of pasture and woodland were burned, and it was not until this 

 morning that the danger to the town was over. 



Virginia. 

 Heavy Loss by Forest Fires in Virginia. 

 Fredericksburg, Va., April 3 (Special). — Property to the value of more than 

 $100,000 has been destroyed by forest fires in Spottsylvania and Caroline 

 counties, in the last two days. There has been no rain for several weeks, and 

 the woods are as dry as tinder. St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, in Caroline 

 county, one of the oldest churches in the country, was destroyed yesterday. 

 It was built long before the Revolution, with bricks brought from England. 

 The people of the neighborhood tried hard to save the old church, but finally 

 had to let it go and turn their attention to saving their homes and stock. Two 

 schoolhouses and several barns were burned. The old Concord Academy and 

 Lewis Kidd's house, in the same county, were soon in ashes. The fire ran 

 along the fencing in Spottsylvania county for miles. Hundreds of acres of 

 woodland have been burned over. The Tazewell Female Seminary was 

 destroyed by fire yesterday ; all the young women escaped, but they saved 

 none of their clothing excepting what they had on when they fled from the 

 blazing building. 



Arkansas. 



Arkansas City, Ark., November 29.— The woods are all burning in this 

 vicinity to-day, and this afternoon the smoke was so dense one could not see 

 across the street. The damage to the grazing lands in the bottoms will be 

 immense. One house reported burned by the fire to-day. It is feared that 

 some hunting parties have perished back in the swamps of this county. It 

 can not be told positively for a day or two. Steamboats can not pass this city 

 now, and it will likely be some days before they can do so, as the fire will 

 certainly continue a week longer unless there is rain. The woods are very dry, 

 there having been no rain for months. 



