The Portland daily press., 1897-05-24

wharf at Trefethen's Landing and stretch
the line of hose over a mile through the
woods and almost across the island to the
place where the forest fire was raging.
This was accordingly done, and at one
o'clock the firemen with the few people
they could get to assist them were laying
the line of hose up over the hill, through
the swamp and into the woods. But it
was two O'Clock before all this could be
done, and the water forced into the pipe.
Engineer Eldredge was unable to get the
assistance that he required to handle this
long line of hose and only a few people
seemed ready to work although there
were many who were willing to stand
about and watch others work. The fire,
though blazing fercely all of this time,
had been kept west of the wood road and
was destroying the pine growth on the
hill. But the wind was driving 1t irresis-
tably EDWARDS and unless water could be
had at once it threatened to jump across
this road and into the woods beyond. But
water was not to be had.
The fremen in the swamp where the
engine was stationed had nearly all de-
serted it, and the few that remained could
not force the water through the long line
of hose over the hill. Days Claim,
small cottage owned by Mr.. Day of this
city, the cottage of Mrs Christopher
Way Mrs. Richardson's cottage and Mr..
Robert Goold' cottage, which are situated
along the wood road and directly in the
path of the advancing flames seemed
doomed. AT least stream was started
on the line of pipe from the fire boat, but
it was not until seven lengths of hose had
been burst by the terrible pressure OF, this
engine that the stream became effective
The hose pipe was over a mile in length,
but those who saw the stream Of water
that the fire boat was at last able to forcst
through this long stretch Of hose will not
longer doubt her power. Before this
stream of water could be fairly got to
work the wind once more increased and
jumped the flames across the wood road
and into the thicker and heavier growth
to the east of it.
With roar like that of tornado and
cracking and shrieking that drowned
out all other sounds, the fire ragged
through the heavy growth of trees direct
ly towards the small cottage of Mr.. Day,
which is almost entirely surrounded by
woods. The flames at times leaped forty
and fifty feet in the air and leaped from
tree to tree with frightful rapidity. The
firemen who had a line of hose through
path in the woods to small clearing to
the east of the wood road were cut off
from it and some of them were pretty
badly burned before they could get be-
You'd the reach of the fire, and as it was
one length of hose was burned to cinders.
Gaining strength every second the fire
rushed on towards Days Claim cot
| tage. In five minutes more the building
would have been in ashes, but now the
| fire boat got down to her work and sent
stream of water into the woods that fairly
drove the flames back and the building
was saved Baffied in this direction the
eastward and was finally killed in the
| woods about the swamp by the heroic
efforts of the Portland firemen who had
been sent for by Chief Eldredge, and who
had now fortunately arrived on the scene
| In turn the cottages of Mrs. Way, Mrs.
Richardson and Mr.. Goold were threat
ened by the fire, but all were saved,
I
narrow margin. All day the firenen
| worked in the hot, smoky woods, choking
and blinded by the heat and flames. hut
after terrific battle which lasted until
nearly nine o'clock they succeeded in
drenching the woods and putting out the
| fire though it still continued to smoke
and burn fitfully in spots.
Too much praise cannot be bestowed on
the crew of the fire boat, Chief Eldredge
and Fourth Assistant Hammett. while
| the Peaks island men performed wonders
before the Portland force reached the snot
| The men from the Portland denartrn ant
who aided Chief Eldredge in suhd,1ing
this fire worked like Trojans and p rr
| formed miracles.
The fire started in the woods near
Littlejohn's field, and is suppose TO have
been caused by sparks from a camn fire. of
some men who were having q rboZpder
dinner in the woods The DAMAGE done
cannot be estimated, but as the fire was
confined to the woods alone If cannot he
| heavy 1t was narrow escane fo,. +be
property owners on this part of tbe ISLAND
and they should feel grateful to the are-
men who from ten O'Clock in the morning
until nearly ten at night worked in The
woods without thing to eat or a. narticie
of rest. Chief Eldredge and his ass pIsi
returned to Portland on the fire boat at
ten O'Clock leaving behind a large force
to watch the woods to prevent fhe fire
| from breaking out again.