Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-19
FOREST FIRES ARE
ON THE INCREASE,
Numerous Places in Maine Threatened
And Damage Promises to Be Very
Heavy---Big Crews Are at Work.
FIRES IN EIGHT COUNTIES.


A dense pail of smoke, that in many
places obscurcd the setting sun alto
gether or made it appear blood red,
enveloped the State of Maine tonight
rs the result of serious forest fires that
arc devastating thousands of acres of
wood land and causing great anxiety
for the safety of property in at least
II towns in eight counties. Night and
day large army of men are at work
in the effort to place the flames under
control or turn them away from for
est-sirdlcd villages. The smoke is sti-
endurance of the strongest. Hundreds
of the men who for two days have been
fighting the fire almost ccaselesSly
have been forced to give up and fresh
relays are constantly being dispatched
to tho front SO far as known tonight
TO lives hal been lost, but the western
section of the town of Brooksville was
reported ablazc, and in this vicinity
II WIS Known lOHlSul CndC inc Inc
summer residence OF Prof w G.. Tou-
sey OF Tufts College, and the barn of
Eugene Cousins had been destroyed
The last word received from Lisbon
tonight indicates that the Proctor
schoolhouse and James Millers farm
house and buildings were doomed.
Probably the most serious fire is i'll
Hancock county, but large sections of
f1,,.o 1
auuis, Andrescogein, Somerset, oxford,
York Cumberland and PenobScot
counties. The towns and villages where
the danger is great or damage heavy
include Brooksville, West Hancock.
Surrey. Dicksvile. Jackman, Lisbon,
ScarLoro, Biddeford. Eliot. York, Ola
mon, Milford, Cardville and Costigan.
The most serious situation was prob
ably at Brcoksville in Hancock county,
about Is miles to the southwest of the
city of Ellsworth. Here a large army
of men was concentrated along the
banks of Meadow brook trying to keep
the flames from crossing that stream.
The fire fed with the parched timber
of 5000 acres, advanced on the village
with a front four miles wide. Should
the flames cross the stream not only
the town of Brooksville itself. but nu
merous villages and outlying houses
in the neighborhood were threatened
with destruction. Despite the stand of
the fire fighters struggling with the
grim determination Of forlorn hope
it was reported tonight that the west
ern part of the town, which is divided
nv the stream, was on fire. The stu
alton at this point tonight was des-
perate
The absence of wind was the CHIEF
factor in preventing the destruction of
other towns and made more effective
the work of the axmen and shovel brl-
gade.
The western outskirts of the town OF
Lisbon were saved only by the most
logged work of the fire. The flames
burned within hundred yards of the
residences in the western part of the
town and the last word received from
there tonight said James Miller's place
| and the Proctor schoolhouse were
! doomed The fire here had burned 2ooo
acres causing loss Of $4,000 and was
still going towards Lewiston.
In Kineo large crews of men We're
watching ground fire spelling acres
| of valuable timber by eating the roots
| of the trees. but it was believed That
| with careful watching the fire at TINS
| point could be kept we'll under control
The town of Jackman was saved
| from destruction by the north and
| northwest winds. shift of the Wlnd
| TO the south would result in disaster.
| A brisk fire in the woods not far from
| Rumford Falls was dangerously near
| Rockford village and going towards
| Dicksvale in the town of Peru
Nearly 100000 fet of lumber ana
| 1000 acres of standing timber have been
| DESTROYED in York county between the
| towns of Eliot and York and TINS ex-
| +ensive loss started. it is believed,
from a spark from laborers camp.
Asstrip of woodland near Biddeioro'
over = mile in length and of VIDE area.
| had been burned over by nightfall ana
fir, in the vicinity of Scarboro was
working towards Saco.
Rain in copious torrents Is the I'M
nerative need of the state. Inc sum
mer has been one of the dryest in years
and there is hardly a spot in the vast
| forests of the state that is not Dan
ger trap for some stray spark from
locomotive or camp fire or the careless
Il, thrown match of some sportsman
or some lumberman. So vital Is the
need for unusual precautions that
i state Forestry Commissioner Rlng mas
scrt out circulars broadcast through
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