National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-05-15
The New Jersey Forest Fires.

ATsIoN. n. j., May li.-ThU fierce forest fires now
burning in this region alone are reported rs dc.
stroying over one hundred square miles of berry
bogS, timber lands and vineyards. Great Republic,
prosperous little village, is now in great state of
dcsolalion, Monday nights fire destroying no less
than twenty-five buildings IN and about tho village.
At Bcnncts mills two houses lay In the path OF the
flames and were consumed. berry picker located
near Five Points had his little home consumed and
barely saved the lives of his children From Great
Repubic,the fire took southcasterly course toward
The iron mills and Cedar lake and skirlcd
about Hammonton and Ellwood, spread toward
Mullicus river on the northeast andireat Egg la
Dor river on the southeast. 1t is impossible to
make an estimate Of Tho destruction to tho wood
GlBsoH's Mills n. j., May 1i.-scarcoly an acre
OF timber land can bG found in the vicinity of
Hanover, Writings and Woodmansc that has es-
capped the connNgration now sweeping onward 10
the sen. The wind now blows hard from the north
west sending tho FIRE southeast. All the popula-
ton were oul last night vigorously endeaYoring TO
stay-the flames from taking the direction of Whit.
ings and other thlckly-inhabitated places. Here
the fire destroyed three buildings aud II barn which
lay in It's path. There has been no rain.
MANCHESTER, n. j., May 1.-THE losses by the
present forest fires In Ocean, Burlington and Cum.
berland counties will be very heavy. An old resi-
dent who has lived here since July 1870 says that
more damage has been accomplished by the April
and May fires than by all tho fires occurring dur
ing the previous thiriy-nine years. a fresh out
break of the fire yesterday In the vicinity OF PequG
river destroyed nearly seventy acres Of choice
cranberry bog, some 100 acres Of valuable cedar
~
was consumed A few miles south OF the Pequa
stream two houses were destroyed.
FARMIEGDALE, N, j., May 1.-THE country for
m lies around was last night lighted by thcgre0t for
est fire now eating its way through the timber land
In Mammoth and Ocean counties, Showers ofcindors
fell in the towns of Long Branch and Redbuuk ana
as far north as Mutawuu All the lire was cast aud
north Of Shark river last night, the estimate being
that over $4,000 acres of cedar and large tracks Of
vineyards were consumed. Several sharp showers
have fallen during the morning. but the only sal
vation is a dc!uging rain.
ATCO, N. j., May 1.-THE forest fires in this vi.
clniy are out and all threatened danger past. The
losses exceed S2j,OO0. only one house Is reported
destroyed, that OF bery.picker near WhilchOuse
POMONA, N, j., May H,-lhe destruction along
the Camden Il Atlantic railroad and the Cape May
q Millyie r~iIJad 10y tho forest fires is terrible to
behold. The entire portion OF southern New JOr-
scy bounded BY BcliUplaiu on the southeast, Mill
Vile on the southwest, Abspccm on the northeast
and Elwood on the northwest has been swept
100000, the principal damage being 10 the vine
Yards In aud abmt Mays landing ami Elwood
upward Of thirty houses are reported to be de-
StToyel. From TuCEuhOe q loss Of S2UpO in tim
Der land Is reported. Several hundred men, women
and children turned out from Egg harbor to help
IN fighting back the fire nt Mays landing and thus
save their homes. They would have met with but
little success had not the wind changed, driving
the flames souihosatwnrdI toward GreUt Egg
harbor, Five hundred men from Ninelund, Mill
yllo aud ManumuSkn are now lighting the fire
along tho line of the Cape May MiviIlc raj road
There are some hopes Of rain. The Camden II At
antic railroad have seut large gangs of men to pre-
vent the flames from reaching Atlantic city.