Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-05-08
F aimed by Wind Threat
ems Rocky Nook, Mass.
Its Front Ten Miles Long,.
so Square Miles Burned.
All Plymouth and Kingston Fighting shift
Of Wind Proves Blessing.

Plymouth. Mass. Nay THE forest
fire which started Fri,lay. near Darby
station. on the Mildlchoro and Ply
mouth branch of the New York. New
Haven {; Hartford Railroad. and which
has twice been beloved tn be under con-
troll. burst out afrcsh. today. and pro-
PEELED by strong southwest wind
swept onward toward the little settle
ment of Rocky Nook, in the town of
Kingston. Tho settlement was saved
from destruction. tonight. by sudden
| shift of the wind from the southwest
Ia thu northeast. Should the wind again
shift to the southwest. it is believed
| hat Rocky Nook will be wiped out.
The breast of the fir" is 10 miles in
extent and probably 30 square miles
hay" been burned over. tonight. Prac-
| ticaly ali the residents of Kingston and
| Plymrton have turned out to fight the
HamCS and large force has been
| brought to the scene by the New York.
New Haven e Hartford Railroad Co.
Immense tracts of white pine and birch
have been destroyed ond the loss will
| be many thousand dollars.
Tho fire is said to be the worst that
! has ever Scourgcd this section of Mas
| &achusctts. Dense pals Ct smoke haT"
| covered all tn" towns in the vicinity
aud ut times. the otinr from the burn
ing forests is 50 strong as To be almost
choking.
Late last night. it vas believed that
| the fire was under control. The wind
| had died down. there was 4 large party
| of fire lighters along the fire line. the
| flames had subsidized and the smoking
| trees and smouldcrirg siumps gave but
| little evidence Of the iicrCcncSS and OK
tent Of tho fro. The fire wardens were
of the nriiiion at that time that they
would hn able TO cope sIicce ssfully with
any fresh outbreak hat might occur
whom the wind frcsh"n"l this morning.
Those who were fighting the flames
worked IT 4 great disadvantage. They
h.d 10 water sr1nplv 10 fan back upon.
it was not considered l."udcnt to use
l'b1ck frs" to any cXt"n; ana the hurn-
cd area was charact :i=rd by I'll 81
lvicl.v aq to make it almost Impossible
tn fight the flames with sand. When tn"
blaze was temporarily checked. last
Inirht il had reached n sandy country
ana tho fire fighters believed that they
would bt able to cont"ol 1t, today.
Tho frcshcnirg southwest wind. how
ever. canned tn" sninrllci ing stumps
Into ,lantcs. TINS Afternoon. and rs tn
wind incrcas cd in fore. tir tongues oi
flames l"apcd from branch t" branch 81
the tindc!'-tlry trees. and in short
time. the forest b"Cane Il roaring se'
OF fire.
The vanguard of the flames halted
last night. near Little Smclt Pond
some 10 miles from where the fire start
ed. FRIDAY. Today. with a constantly
expanding front. the fire was driven ir
a north. Sterly direction for three on
four mites in the direction of Rocky
%nok. a small settlement midway be
tween Kingston ana Nnr'h Plymouth
Hrtwecr Little Sm"lt Pond and Rocky
: Nook. the country is elevated and there
are 10 ponds or SWampI ana only ono
small stream to present any ohStact
in the path Of tbs, advancing iiamcs
Continued on Page Three)