The Portland daily press., 1895-05-10
Woodland Burned Over to Make Room
for the Berry Bushes.
SUSPICIOUS AS TO THE CAUSE OF
THE NEW GLOUCESTER FIRE,
1t Burned for Two and One Half Miles in
One Direction-A Road Which Looks
Like a Ribbon OH Black Carpet-How
Buildings at Gray Were Saved.
Especial to the PRESS. J

Especial to the PRESS.)
New Gloucester May elf the suspicious
of some people are founded on fact, about
1000 acres of land was burned over last
week to make blueberry garden. where
people who do not own the land can gather
the berries for the market. Back of the
hills on which siis the village known as
Gloucester Lower Corner, is stretch of
level country known as 1.-THE Plains" The
Plains extend for miles down INTO the town
of Gray. Still farther away from here
across the Plains is a region known as ''TLe
Eighty Rod Strip" and it is suspected that
from THE Eighty Rod StIip,'' have come
the bold maraudeIS who have set fires on
The Plains in years past, and who are sus-
leoted of setting the great fire of last week.
Every cody bereabouts knows that fire In
the woodland is followed by a :ourishing
growth of bluebeTry bushes. The great
tract burned over last week will this sum-
mer be covered with young bushes, and
next year these bushes will bear a boun-
teous crop. THAT explains" said a man
who had helped fight the fire, why we
have these fires every other year. in other
words, it is suspected that number of fires
in recent years have been set in order to
a chance. So sure are the people that the
recent fire was of this kind. that one land
owner explained as soon as he reached the
scene, II would give $1,000 if 1 knew who
set this fire. From this statement. EVIDENT
ly, grew the report that reward of $1,000
had been offered for the apprehension of
the guilty persons.
1t was on Wednesday last week, at about
noon, that Mrs. George Knight, when going
about her household duties, smelt smoke,
and looking in the direction of the Plains,
saw Indications of fire. The Knights live
in the town OF Gray, near North Gray vii
lage, and on the edge of the Plains. When
Mrs. knight saw the smoke she called to
ber soL and he ran up the hill which the
road climbs just after you pass the Knights
place, going from North Gray to the Plains.
sure enough, he found blaze which mad
started at place where the road forks, ana
WAS rapidly spreading in all directions. 1t
was lively afternoon for North Gray. a ffer
tEat. A message was sent to the village
and Mr.. @. e. Libby, who owns saw mill
there, came up with bis men. Mr.. Knight
hitcbed team to his plow and went 10
work turning ZIP the sod between the line
tof fame and his buildings. The fire was
hen almost within stones throw OF his
house and barn. II had crossed the road
and was working along in the direction of
Mr. Daniel Doughty's buildings, which are
nearly opposite MIR. Knights. But hard
work bad its effect, and plowing. beating
I he flames and taking the dead leaves away
suhdued the fire before it reached the build
lngs. although it came dangerously near a
fence made CT old tree stumps aud leading
along the road to the Doughty place Had
the IRE gotten into this fence, 1t would very
likely have un away from its pursuers and
reached the buildings before they could
overtake it.
The FIRE fighters went to bed thinking
that they hsad put out the fire, but lsthe
next day. there was fire again. he people
living near by clung to the opinion that this
second fire was set by soma busberry cult
vator as well as the first. To fight it. all
hands were again called upon. Mr.. Libby
and his crew were on hand AMI so was Mr..
Allen Jordan with his men. Mr.. Jordan is
also mill owner and both he and MrLibby
own timber land or. the Plains. From New
Gloucester went Mr.. +. Fl. Chandler. who
owns much of the land in tha neigh borhood
of the burned district. With him was his
nephew, Mr.. Peleg Chandler, and others.
They found the woods full of flames which
ran along the ground, rising only to a height
of about three feet. But now and then the
| fire would get into the branches of tall
| tree. and then he flames would rush up
wards until there was column of fire near
| ly one hundred feet in height. Mrs. Knight.
who went up to look at the fire during the
evening. said that the sight was grand be-