The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1897-04-27

The most disastrous fire that has visit
ed this section for long time occurred on
the farm of John P. Lippincott, near Vim.
centown, early on Wednesday morning.
The light awakened Mrs. Lippincott.
who aroused her husband. When Mr..
Lippincott reached the barn he found it
on fire in two or three places, the hottest
blazes being near where the stock was
kept. Every effort was made to save the
animals but the attempt was not very
successful. Ten cows and three horses
we're rescued, but all the large barns,
sheds and outbuildings, together with
% cows, Is calves, horses, mules.
large assortment of the best farm machin-
cry, wagons, harness, 900 bushels of
wheat, 700 bushels of corn, 40 tons hay,
$500 worth of new lumber were complete
ly destroyed
Not single building was left except
the dwelling house, which was saved with
the greatest difficulty. Mr.. Lippincott
conducts five farms and much of his stock
and machinery was in the burned build
ings. The general impression is that the
ire WAS OF incendiary origin, although Mr..
Lippincott cannot think of anybody who
has sufficient feeling against him to do
such dastardly deed. A party of Young
people returning from Medford passed the
place about midnight and did not see any
sign of fire about the place. That it
was deliberate attempt to destroy pro-
perty seems certain from the fact that the
fire started in that part of the building
where the live stock was quartered, and
it looks as if the perpetrators of the deed
had selected Tuesday night with a know
ledge that owing to the GOODNESS of the
weather, all the stock would be in the
barns
The loss will probably reach $4,000,
with insurance for about half that sum.
Late on Tuesday night the large grist
and saw mill occupied by Elwood Mount
at Columbus, was entirely destroyed by
fire,
Fortunately there was but very little
wind or the whole town would have been
burned. Haryey's canning factory caught
fire two or three times, but that and all
the adjoining properties were closely
watched. The contents of the mill we're
consumed, there being no insurance there
on. The building was insured for So. 600
and belonged to the Atkinson estate. 1t
is supposed the fire was of incendiary or
igin.
Mount has been doing quite large
business and bis loss will be pretty heavy.
In addition to large quantity of feed and
grain he lost all his carpenter tools. The
citizens responded promptly to the alarm,
but they could do nothing but stand by
and watch the flames which burned for
two hours, the mill having been substan-
TALLY built.
This mill was one of the largest in the
county, having been erected by a stock
company in 184S. 1t was afterward
bought by Charles Atkinson and was for
years known as Atkinson's mill, and is
still owned by some of the family,
Forest fires are raging near Browns
Mills and are destroying acres of valuable
timber. The underbrush and leaves are
very dry, and it will be some time before
the men will be able to get the fire under
control. It is being fought vigorously by
a large force. Sunday night the flames
could be seen for miles. The residents
in that vicinity are praying for rain.
Forest fires are also raging in the neigh
borhood of Medford and Shamong the
smoke and light from which are plainly
visible for miles, The fire line extends
from the Atlantic county line to within
short distance of Medford and Mount
Laurel