The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-07-29
FIRES ON LONG ISLAND.
,,mber Land and Dwellings Com
Entire Hamlet swept

rimbcr Land and Dwellings Com
su,uea-au Entire Hamlet swept
Away.
The apprehensions, from the experience
of former years, that the long-continued
drought at the east end of Long Island
would result in disastrous conflagrations in
the great wooded tracts, have been well
founded. The farmers have been watch
full of late, and in several neighborhoods
patrols have been organized to guard
against possible conflagrations. Between
Farmingdale and Riverhead, on the Long
Island railroad, and south to the places
traversed by the Southsidc railroad from
Babylon to Patchogue, is an extensive tract
of pine land, known as the Wild district
and belonging originally to grant KNOWN
as the old Cornell Patent. This region mas
been frequently devastated by ilre' ana Is
now being visited by fires almost equal III
extent and destructveness to those OF
former wears. and the whole available force
oftbe inhabitants is brought into requi-
sition TO subdue the flames if possible, or
Mt all events to save farm houses and other
buildings from destruction
For some days several small fires have
occurred along the line of the South Side
railroad, but they have been cxtinguished
without much difficulty Similar fires have
also occurred on the Long Island road On
Thursday morning, however, the flames
gathered Roadway near the Long Island
road at Lakeland, about forty-eight miles
from New York, and it was found impos-
sible to check them. They spread with
great rapidity southwark, under the inllu-
cnce OF brisk northcrly wind, and finally
burning over tract about mile wide, ira
versel the intervening country to the
vicinity of Patchoguc, on the South Side
railroad, burning several dwellings in thcir
progress a small settlement known as
Edcnvillc. near Patchoguc, was literally
swept out of existence, every building in
it being destroyed; and at one time Patch
oguc village was also in danger of tota
destruction. One small dwelling in tho
outskirts of the village was burnt, and the
occupants of several others hurricdly
packed up their household effects in the
expectation of being driven out by tho
flames. Through the united cXertions OF
all the inhabitants of the ncighborhood
who turned out with ploughs and othol
available appliances, the progress of tho
fire was stayed.
1t is impossible yet to estimate the OK
tent of the losses consequent upon this fire
Much cut wood was destroyed, and the
damage to the charcoal kilns with whicl
the region abounded is considerable. TIL,
value of the standing timbers destroyed
cannot be very large, US ii was principal,
scrub pine. The buildings burned wer
generally small.
Serious fires also broke out in the VIII
district, between Yaphank and Mana, O
the Long Island railroad, on Thursday, an
are still raging, extending on each side o
the road with great rapidly. and spreadin
over large area of valuable woodland, es
timated at considerably over two mile
square. The quantity of cord wood dc
stroyed is very great, and many farmhouse
were seriously endangered. North o
Lakeland the fire was spreading rapid
toward Lake Ronkonkoma, and there NJ
peared to be little hope of its being sui
dued. There are number of fine countI
dwellings in this direction, and it WI
feared that some of them must be destroyed
Throughout that part of the Wild distrit
traversed by the flames were quite nun
her of residences of poor people, whic
have doubtless been swept away.