The Portland daily press., 1892-04-22
FIRES FAR AND NEAR.
Bay State Farmers Out in Force
Fighting the Flames.
LAST NIGHTS RAIN A BLESSING In
SUN.BAKED REGIONS.

| SUN.BAkED REGIONS.
Down Near Boothbay, Much Valuable
| Land Was Burned Over and Two
Buildings Destroyed-In Massachusetts,
Towns Changing Church Bells Gave
Notice of the Enemy's Approach
Many Lives Lost in St. Petersburg
| Blaze.--Other Fires.
BOSTON, April 21.-The greatest con-
| fiagration that his visited the forests of
Middlesex county for many year broke
out on the hills between Bedford and
burlington about noon yesterday, and ST.
lently crept along until the volumes of
smoke, seen at a great distance called d
out the people of several towns, who
fought the red tongued enemy unit
nightfall, when they retired exhausted
to their homes, feeling that they had put
a stop to the flames.
But before midnight the sky was ap-
parently one mass of flames. and the
bells of many towns were changing for
the safety of the farmhouses. Many hard
worked farmers turned out and fought
the enemy till morning when, seeing that
he would not be stayed as long as any-
thing could be reached of combustibie
nature they were obliged to retire from
| exhaustion. The scene from distance
was grand, beyond the expression of Ian
guage. AT times one sheet of flame ex-
tended for miles, then calming down to
the horizon line. The flames, reaching
mamouth pines, would shoot up to the
clouds as if vying with each other in
their awful work of midnight destruc-
| ton.
One group of bystanders could at times
catch glimpses of similar groups on dis
tant hills, and not few were led to think
OF the predicted day when the final puri-
| tying of things terrestrial is to take place.
This tremendous destruction cannot be
estimated in dollars and cents. 1t must
reach many thousands, for an immense
tract of forest has been thoroughly devas-
tated and hundreds of cords of wood all
| prepared for the market are now but
| smouldering heap of embers
| The tract of blackened ruins is included
in the towns of Bedford, Burlington and
Lexington, and includes many owners.
HUNDREDS OF ACRES BURNED.
Big Fire in the Woods at Boothbay-A
House Destroyed.
DAMARIscoTTA, April 21.-Fire started
about noon yesterday, near John Burke's
| at Boothbay, and worked into the woods.
1t burned over 800 to 800 acres, including
the dwelling of Willard Merry and the
| school house in district No. 5. Then it
| swept south to Haggett's ice pond. when
change of wind drove the flames down
the east side of Pleasant cove, covering
the land of II different owners. The
loss is estimated at $4,000 to $40, 1000
BRADFoRD's PERIL.
The Flames Reach the Borders of ths
Village.
CONCORD, N. H., April 21.--A spark
from locomotive on the Concord and
Claremont railroad set fire to the woods
along the line about mile east of Brad
ford this morning. The fire spread with
almost incredible rapidity in the direc-
ton of the town, which is the largest on
that line of railroad, except Newport and
Claremont. The flames reached the bor-
ders of the village, despite the efforts of
the inhabitants to check them, and the
destruction of the village was threatened.
An appeal for help was made to the rail-
road headquarters here and at 10 o'clock
special train, conveying large force of
men, was sent to the scene. There rein
forcements, aided by the rain, extin-
guished the fire before it reached the
village. The loss is small
LIVES LOST IN ST. PETERSBURG.
Nine Pcrished and Fifteen More are Miss.
ing.
ST. PETERSBURG, April 21.-The burn
ing of three story tenement house last
night in the most crowded part of the
city caused the loss of number of lives.
The fire appears to have gained consider
able headway before the people in the
building were aware of their danger.
The house was thronged with tenants,
and when they became aroused to the
peril exit from the upper floors was al
ready cut off by the flames. AS in most
Russian tenement houses. the staircsses
were narrow and the windows very small.
Many of the inmates ran to the windows,
and there was a struggle to get out, caus-
ing those who were behind to be smotf-
cred by the smoke or caught in the
flames OF those who succeeded in leap
ing to the ground several were killed or
seriously injured. By the time the fire
men reached the scene the building was
beyond saving. Nine persons are known
to have perished and Is are missing, of
whom it is believed several are dead.
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