The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1903-06-11
BELFAST'S FOREST FIRE.
About 500 Acres Burned Over Very Near the
CITY.

About 500 Acres Burned Over Very Near the
City.
The fire which started Wednesday, June
4th, and was briefly outlined in The Journal
last week, covered an area of about 500 acres
and at times seriously menaced a number of
dwellings. Some of the territory burned
over was covered with small growth of
soft wood, but much valuable hard wood
and trees suitable for spars, boards and
shingles were ruined, as well as some cord
wood and logs piled in the woods.
Sunday, May 31st, Ephraim Robbins
lighted fire to burn over small piece OF
cleared land on his place on the Gurney's
Mills road, about two miles from the city.
No trouble was experienced from it until
Wednesday noon, although neighbors and
pasSers-by had cautioned Mr.. Robbins to
be very careful as there was danger of the
fire spreading should brisk wind spring up.
Wednesday about noon the fire got out of
the Robbins premises into wOod-lot on the
south owned by f. IL. Bates, and within an
hour was raging furiously. The neighbors
turned out and several men went up from
the city, but the fire gained so that at =
O'Clock the fire department was called out.
A crew started with hydrant engine No.
and supply of hose for W. E. Marsh's
place, but the fire had crossed the Marsh
road and they could not get through They
went back to the city and out the Belmont
road to Joseph Nash's place at the corner
of the Poor's Mills road where number of
buildings were in danger. Within two
hours from the time the fire got out of the
Robbins place it had run two miles and
was dangerously near the trotting park,
and the buildings of G. W. Bculter, John
f. Chapman, the Franklin Banks farm, E.
NJ. Cunningham's, Joseph Nash's Mrs.
Mudgetts, the three Toothaker farms, An
sci Wadsworth's and Equity Grange BALL.
These were directly to ieeward of the fire
and live cinders were blowing upon the
buildings. The fire was stayed in that d-
rection before reaching any of the build
ings.
The fire in its course followed down the
westerly side of the Gurney's Mills road on
land of f. H. Bates and f. F. Clements,
land of W. W. Blazo, the latter being put
out with very slight damage From the
Clements place it struck back from the
road and crossed the lots of Lewis Brier,
Annie Brier, Harvey S. Cunningham and
the estate of Albert b. Otis, which is cross
ed by the Marsh road. The wood lots cross
ed south of the Marsh road taken in order
ar aS fo1louS. tho Otis astatp Cant ~ w
Turner, Asa Turner, Capt. John Hassell's
estate, Alonzo Shute, Mrs. Susan c. Ma
thews, A. P. Colson, f. S. Shuman, W. A.
Mason, c. E. Tibbett, J. W Wallace,
West of the Robbins lot is the farm of
Noyes K. Wentworth, which was not touch
ed by the fire. West of Bates and Clements
is lot owned by Chas. P. Hazeltine, on
which the fire entered but little the first
day, but was completely burned over later.
From that point to the Marsh road is the.
farm of W. f. Marsh, where the fire de
Stroyed a large wood lot and came within
20 rods of the buildings. Mr Marsh's large
and valuable orchard was MOI damaged al
though the fire burned along the east side
the first day and the lot on the north later
l.. Miller and beyond that of Jacob H.
Page. Mr.. Page also owns d lot on the
south side of the Marsh road, west of the
Otis lot, and this was considerably dam
aged The Poors Mills road from Miller's
to the Belmont road at Nash's has, on the
east the land of Page, Cassius f. Hamilton,
A. X. jackson, tformerly the j. W. Mcln-
tyre farm and the Nash place. A large
part of the wood lots of Hamilton and Jack
son were burned over. The lots on this
road abut on the east Oh the lots from Otis
to Wallace.
From a stump on Robbins farm where
the original fire started the track wldened
rapidly, the burned area being about third
of mile wide at the Marsh road and some
what more as it progressed southwark.
From the starting point to the end near the
Nash place is about two miles. The fire
was prevented from spreading sidewise at
several points by hard work at dltching
and other methods employed in lighting
fires in land and forests. The southerly
march could not be stayed as the fire was
famed by brisk northerly gale.
Miss Margaret Jackson had an exciting
experience and narrow escape. She was
going home from school in her carriage and
was in the Marsh road when the fire reach
ed it, The Freedom stage was few yards
behind her and the driver shouted to her to
turn back, but she did not hear him, and
the fire closed in between them. The driver
turned back and went out by the other
road, but Miss Jackson was obliged to keep
On. The fire crossed the road in several
places ahead of her but she got through
safely, thanks to steady nerves and good
horse.
The horses which are kept at the trotting
park for training were all taken away We'd
nesday afternoon. The family of Frank
Holmes, who were moving into the Frank
lin Banks place, left their things packed
and most of them out of doors, and people
living near the Nash corner packed some OF
their household goods.