The Smoke of the Season
Forest fires burn through Tumwater timber, impeding travel and damaging infrastructure.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
On Monday the fire from the forest got close to Jas. Mackintosh's camp, east of Tumwater, and burned a portion of railway track and timber. The men had a bad time fighting it, and came near losing the cars and camp. The fire also burned a large amount of bark belonging to D. Drewry and Chas. Hays. The loss is about $500 altogether. The fires have spread all over the country, although the cool nights and the green timber prevent them raging as bad as might be expected. The Hicklin road has many fallen trees across it, and wagons have been much troubled to get through. The Black Hills are full of fire, and travel towards Lincoln creek has been impeded by fallen trees. The damage the fire is doing to timber can hardly be estimated.
“The damage the fire is doing to timber can hardly be estimated.”
Wildfire season is an increasingly critical concern in Washington State. This 1883 report echoes today's anxieties about the economic cost, infrastructure damage, and the 'can hardly be estimated' impact on the environment.
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