New-York tribune., 1891-05-02
THE NEW-JERSEY FIRES.
STILL SWEEPING THROUGH THE TIMBER
COUNTRY.
TOWNS IN ATLANTIC AND CUMBERLANI
COUNTIES SURROUNDED BY RAGING
FLAMEs-MANY HOUSES
BURNED.

Atlantic City, Nay Last night VIII 90 remem-
bered night OF terror to the residents OF uao"aS
and Oceanve, owing TO the raging Of the foiest es
on the outskirts Of those places. The people WHOSE
houses were In immediate danger did not go 10 Deu ou
watched the progress of the roaCfng flames Inc hIe
extended for miles and lit up the surrounding country
Sparks were carried by the wind nto the villages OF
Galloway and Occanve. Houses and barns were SET
on fire, and in some cases tho occupants narrowly
escaped being burned to death. large Number oil
men and boys turned out, but they coud 90 htle 20
check the pro gess OF the flames The most they could
do to cut down young timber and remove diy
brush from the track Of the fire. Thirteen dwellings
and other buildings were destroyed near oceanville
The latter place is surrounded by woods, and at one
time it looked as IL the whole OF Oceanvi!e was
doomed Fortunately the wind changed and this prob
ably prevented greater destruction.
Port Republic, a small place which has few hun
dred inhabitants was swept by the flames. Ten farm
Houses well the house Of ex-Postmaster Louis
somers, together with the schoolhouses, the barn
Of Mr.. Allen, and buildings owned by George flfer.
Abram Anderson, EGOch Pancost, Bodine Reed ana
Charles MaSias, were destroyed
At Egg Harbor in Atlantic County, the fire RACED
fercely and burned pasture fields, destroying
large number Of young trees, and burned several
houses The loss at Egg HarbOr is fully Soo,OOo
Part OF this loss is covered by insurance.
Mnlvile, n. j., May 1.-Two forest fires are still
burning In this vicinity; in the Bear swamp-the
greater Of the wo-and the other in the direction OF
Beaver Dam. The latter was thought to be under
control last night but broke out. afrcsh thi. morning.
and is sweeping in a northerly direction AS TINS IRE
Is right in the neghborhoOd Of the Hebrew colony OF
Cumberland County, many reports are in circulation
that a number Of small houses owned by
those people have been destroyed but care
fu investigation fails to confirm the rumors.
The fire to-day Is in that direction, however, but no
can be obtained until messengers arrive. Tile
following additional losses are reported james
Radcliffe, $50 acres burned over, loss $1,000; Martin
Loders estate $1,000 W. &. Nixons estate, $4,000;
John BrandriG, cranberry bog aud cedar tract 1000
John Pike standing timber, -, 900. The Bear swamp
confagration is its fourth days work Of forest
destruction. Woodland on both sides OF the Cumber
land and Maurice River branch Of the Central Railroad
OF NewJersey has been burned for several miles and
the scOTched and charred trees and backened country
over N>slch the flames have swept presents scene
OF utter de5Olation. The fire is said TO have been
started by n spark from locomotive
Walter Chance the stagedrlver from the station to
the village Of Dividing Creek had experience with
the flames he Will remember long as he lives and his
escape seems almost miraculous lie was driving his
pletcly surrounded by the flames. The road was
Obscured by smoke and the flames had scorched his
stage before he reached a clearing and escaped. The
ROsenhayn fire took fresh start This morning and
swept across the Maurice River, coming within three
miles OF this city Big gangs of men were sent out
from the citv The fire is sun burning tonight but
is under control. NJ b. Hnskcr, Of Philadelphia, loses
heavily by the Rosenhayn fire.
Pemberton, y. j., May liver since Sunday last
fire has been raging in the pine forests of Burlington
and Atlantic counties and in that time has burned over
several Thousand of timber, consisting Of oak,
pine and cedar and the loss has been heavy. good
deal Of the pine timber, however, what is known
az second growth and rvle worth about $50 or
gao per acre but the and cedar is valuable and its
loss is a heavy blow u the owneIs.
At time the little village Of Paisley was in
imminent danger of destruction the fire approached
dangerously and the shower Of sparks kept all Of
the residents busy in putting out the smaller con
hagrations that sprang up wherever one Of these
sparks fell several Of the sQuatteIs and charcoal
burners whose cabins are to be found everywhere
in the woods were burned ont and had TO flee with
what what few belongings they could carry on their
backs. While this fire raging another one that
had been doing much damage in Atlantic County
swept across the scrub OAKS and Indian grass into the
large timber that skirts the southern border Of
Slamong Township destroying not only the standing
timber, but considerable quantity OF cordwOOd plea
up ready for shipment including lot of boat boards
woods and live by the sale stolen timber anu
charcoal turned in and worked with all their might
gave up the fgnt exhausted and di,heartencd. Here
tgforc they have been charged with having fired the
woods, but no one believes It of them now
The territory over which the fire mas swept is
dismal in tnc extreme Aa 1ar as the eye can
trees Every vcstige Of vegetation mas departed and
the ground is covered with ashes The timber IS still
burning and but little effort IS being made to save
anything. The hfc fighters exhausted and dis
cOuTagcd. Many Of the owners Of the timber are I'M.
known To them, and hardly set fOOt the land
and do not attempt 20 reward the men for their work
Peasantville, May 1.-The forest fires in this section
seemed to be under control at least FOR the. night.
At noon today many families at North Absec0m be-
came frightened at the approach of the flames that
they deserted their houses They removed their house
hold effects TO open fields. Fortunately the wind
changed from west to southwest and this had the
elect OF driving the flames back. IL is estimated that
the damage in this part OF Atlantic County By the
fires VIII amount TO SjCO,OOO.
Lakewood, y. j., May CspcciaD.-The accounts in
todays papers Of forest fires in this vicinity
greatly exaggerated AL the fires have been some
distance south OF here, and al no time has there
been the slightest danger 10 Lakewood
Az AGENT ARRESTED FOR EMBEZZLEMENT.