The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-06
A WHOLE TOWNSHIP ON FIRE in NEW
JERSEY.
correspondent OF the Toms River co,s.ie. writes

A correspondent OF the Toms River Courier writes
as follows:-
Some days ago, as the workmen on the Tuckerton
Railway were burning brush on the track where
!. crosses oyster creek branch II got beyond their
dry and the wind was blowing fresh from the south
and west. and 1t sent the flames down the village
OF Waretown at q fearful rate. The men collected
tOgetner as soon as possible and did all they could
to stay It's progress. But little coula be done against
the main portion OF the names which soon reached
the Toms River aud Watertown Railroad wnlcn
deadened 1t a little, but 1t went On, crossing the
main shore road and then on down to the meadows.
women lab0red as well as the men, and II was only
oy the hardest abor that Mr.. Camburn's nnd Mr..
Eayre's houses were saved; by wetting the roofs
the sparks and Cinders would not ignite 1t burnt
Nathaniel Camb rms property almost entirely over
and his loss will be heavy. The Sue fire came down
and crossed Mill Branch ny the west side OF Brdsall
d Co. cranberry bog and was suDducd on the up
land which stopped II rom entering the village.
The destruction OF property has Deen immense.
Oyster creek swamp has Deen swept clean from the
Whiting Railroad TO the main shore road. The loss
will be large, as there was heavy growth of cedar
on 1t. number OF families removed their beds ana
vauables TO the fields and buried them. The danger
seems to have swept past US now. and, although
much damage has been done, all are very thankful
that such kind Providence has kept us rom a
more trying and dangerous time.
After the fire left the precincts Of Watretown it
burned rapidly over the valuable cedar Swamps OF
Oyster creek, sparing nothing In It's destructive
march, The large tracts oil lands belonging to
Messrs. John Rutherford. Rutherford Stuyvesant d.
II. Ticnenor and the estate OF A. Russell were thor
oughly burned over, leaving barely an acre un-
touched The vast woods between Waretown and
Forked river are nearly all DESTROYED. One would
have thought that Forked river would have stopped
the ravages of the flend, but 1t sped OF that
stream, and ragged on the Bird lin Vineyard and
Factory Branch. The Vineyard was not injured
On sped the insatiate demon, crossing Cedar creek
to the eastward OF Double Trouble, burning about
mile to the north Of Cedar creek, over lands or
George Gberson and Thomas Hooper, when the wind
shifted and away rolled the volume OF nre and
smoke to the eastward, on both sides OF the stream
towards the village OF Cedar creek. by great exer-
tons the entire village was preset we'd from destruc-
pike and struck III the swamp eastward and ran to
the bay where the water stopped It's ravages In that
direction. But the work Of destruction was not yet
finished. The nre worked up north, with the turn
pike, until near the house OF Mr.. JOB Pat when It's
further progress was stopped.
Through this IRE over 10000 acres OF fine thrifty
timber and cedar swamps have been DESTROYED AMI
the loss cannot he estimated IN dollars ana cents
Probably 1t would not TALL much short OF SI5o,0o0
and we are satisfied that 100000 would not cover
the entire loss or timber But the timber alone not
the only loss; the burning or such Intensely not
fires upon the soil does not benefit II in the least.
IL would seem TO draw the very life OF the ground
from II, and leaves II for years barren waste III
deed.
Many narrow escapes from house burning and
death are told us, the bre IN many cases almost out.
stripping the neetest runner or fastest horse; but
no buildings OF account were burned, SO far as we
can learn by travelling over the immense waste
The connagration lasted from Tuesday morning
until saturday morning. The waves OF Dire, as they
surged back and forth AMID the resnous pines and
cedars, roaring and cracking like mad, involun-
tary called ones thoughts to the day or doom,
"Een uo WIN WIN oo ucstrOycu. inc slsHt was
magnificent, but awfully suggestive, as the broad
billow, some five miles wide, was sending forth inn
mense pillars OF cloud by day and fire by night
reaching upward untll lost to sight In the air above.
All along the turnpikes AMI roads the people
turned out to fight tile fire. Men journeying on
business hitched their teams by the wayside and
went with all their manhood, TO do battle with the
common enemy. We do not know OF a solitary
skulker; were there one our shoremen would invite
nm TO git" with ali possible speed from their
midst Where all did SO well 1t would be unfair TO
particularize individual Instances OF bravery and
daring lcr0ism, which were numerous. AT Cedar
creek, while tue men were away nghling the fire,
the ladies' and children at home flied their TUBS,
barrels and pals with water, not Knowing how soon
thev would be wanted for the protection OF their
own homes; but fortunately they were not wanted.
In some cases goods were moved from houses and
stores IN exI eclaiion OF q Visit from the fire,