Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-05-04
FOREST FIRES.
History of Some Disastrous Forest
Fires in Maine.

Fires in Maine.
The greatest forest fire that has occurred
in the State of Maine, within the historic
times, was doubtless that of 1925, known
as the "Miramichi'' fire, but, though it
occurred the same year and month as the
forest fire which destroyed many lives as
well as much property in the province Of
New Brunswick, il was district fire, be-
ing separated from the other by many
miles.
The fire of 1926 in Maine seems to have
started in the towns in and near the Pts
cataquis valley. Here it did much damage.
burning up the Woodlands DESTROYING
several sets of buildings and otherwise in
juring the settlers. Then it spread north
and east, burning up mile after mile of
tim berland till it reached and crossed the
Penobscot river. The boundaries OF the
fire where they are not obscured by clear
ing or later fires, by the charred stumps
and the nature OF the growth are perfectly
distinct The area of the fire by these
marks has been approximately determined
Written history, confirmed by the re-
collection of people still living who were
witnesses at the fire, furnishes pretty sat
isfactory Information a to the conditions
which We're responsible for it, Previously
the annual rain fall had been sufficient 10
secure good crops and to prevent extreme
coniiagration. But in August and sep
TENDER of that year no rain fell, and Sc
we're drought prevailed The crop had
grown and ripened. BY the beginning of
October the wells We're without water. the
small streams had failed, the brooks
ceased to flow and the fish gathered in the
deep pools or laid dead upon their stony
beds. Much of the cleared land contained
decaYing stumps and was enclosed by log
feAces. while the stubbes upon the grain
and moving fields We're thick and rank
and all as dry as finder.
Still those who We're cleaning up new
land, in their eagerness to burn up the
fallen growth, set fires as fearlessly as
ever. And these fires did not go out but
fingered and smouldered still.
In the evening of Oct I, after a still
smoky day, violent gale arose from the
north and northwest, tanning these
smouldering fires into furious and rush
ing blaze. In the woodlands the flames
rolled on in solid column, while the wind
scattered the blazing sparks like chaff,
lighting up stump fences and often the
dry stubble.
Everybody was awake. Fences We're
torn down, water carried and back fires
set. The night was the widest in the
experience of those who witnessed it.
The next morning, however, the wind
subsidized, and peril to life and farm
property closed. But smoke hung over
the country, dense enough to sicken cat
tie and great enough in volume to be seen
outside the State. The fire hung in the
Dogs and timberlands and it was only
some weeks later when the heavy rains
of the fall came down that it was finally
quenched
Clearing fires were probably the centre
of the conhagration Proof of this
is the fact that the fire sprung up in so
many places at once. 1t was in several
towns the same night and men found it
all about them when they turned out to
fight it. So strongly were they impressed
with this feature of it, that the fire was
attributed in the minds of the supersti-
tious to supernatural origin. Men
thought the fire rained down.
The fire Travelled as fast as horse
could trot and the air was filled with fly
ing brands. Thus the fire was spread
from many centres and fused in great
volume too great and of toe much power
to be fought 1t overpowered the settlers
In Cambridge and Ripley numerous sets
of buildings We're burned and scattered
buildings were destroyed eyeryw here.
Then when the gale went down from the
extent of the fire it was beyond control.
1t maintained itself in spite Of the set
tiers and while spreading north and east
it rayaged The timberlands unhindered for
weeks.
The history Of the fire in word is this