The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-07-20
FIRES RACED FOR
TWO WEEKS
Wardens PowerIess
Without Rain
COpious Showers of Monday Relieved
Situation and Early on Tuesday
Fires Were Practically Out.

rains which fell Monday night, the
small army of men who had been
fighting the fires in the north woods
for nearly two weeks, finally got the
upper hand Tuesday. Both Somer-
set and Piscataquis suffered severely,
although in the former county little
but cut over lands were burned
The total area devastated, however
runs way up in the thousands of
acres, and entails serious economic
loss, both to the immediate owners
and the State.
The Enchanted fire which started
July 6, supposedly from lightning,
was the worst of those in this county
1t was first discovered on the Horse
Pond tract near the upper end of
Bull Dog Pond, and from there it
spread in all directions. The log
ging camps of Henry P. McKenney
we're totally destroyed, and the
flames soon made their way over
into No. 4. Chief Fire Warden Frank
Stirling of Caratunk with nearly
900 men fought this fire for almost
two weeks, but until the arrival of
the rain it was losing battle at
nearly every point. The estimated
area burned over was 10000 acres
distributed among the Coburn Lands
Incorporated, (S w. Philbrick AGENT,
Lawrence Brothers of Gardiner and
the Hollingsworth & Whitney Co.
Next in size among the Somerset
fires came that at Dennistown be-
ginning July 16. This started up in
the northwest corner near the For
sythe line, and swept down the
Wood Stream valley through cut
over lands belonging to the E. P.
Page estate. Great tracts of virgin
timber on Moose River and Jackman
plantations and even the village it
self were in serious danger, but
Deputy Fire Warden Albert McDan-
iels of Jackman with upwards of
150 men finally got it under control.
While the Enchanted confiagration
was at it's height, two small fires
were discovered on the Hollings-
worth & Whitney lands in Coplin
plantation. These burned over be-
tween 700 and 500 acres. and at one
time menaced the south half of Bige-
low, which is owned by the Coburn
Heirs, Butler e Philbrick and the Ed
Hill estate. Good work by the
Dead River fire wardens under E.
Payson Viles kept the damage close
to minimum.
Just at the acute stage of the dry
spell, the fire watch on Pleasant
Pond Mountain discovered something
doing in the wake of careless sports
men on East Moxie township and at
Austin Pond in Bald Mountain town
ship. Both fires were near very val
liable tracts of virgin timber, but
quick work by Chief Fire Warden
Albert Webster of Bingham kept the
burnt, area within one hundred
acres
In Piscataquis county the fires
were larger and the timber destroy
ed more valuable than that of Som
erset 10000 acres of partially cut
spruce was destroyed around upper
Roach Pond in Frenchtown, $4,000
about Lobster Lakes and the Middle
sex Canal Grant, and about 1000 on
the Days Academy Grant. At one
time the whole east shore of Moose
head Lake seemed doomed but the
worst was not realized. The Hol-
lingsworth & Whitney Co. were the
heaviest losers, the other lands be-
ing owned by Bangor parties.
Great credit is due Chief Fire War
den Frank Thompson for the way in
which he kept the supplies and rein
forcements moving towards the men
at the front. Every town on the
Somerset road, and even the cities of
Waterville and Augusta were drain
ed Of their available supply of labor,
and in several cases the men were
hurried to the danger spots in auto
mobiles. Warden Forrest Colby of
Bingham was also a large factor, as
well as Warden Roy L. Marston of
Skowhegan.
Few laymen appreciate how seri-
ously these forest fires affect the
business interests of Maine. More
than 10000 men are employed every
year in the lumber industries, which
makes them second only to agricul-
tule Burnt over land of average
quality is rendered unproductive of
anything marketable for at least ten
years Ferns and raspberries run
not for about half that period, and
alter them comes the bird cherry.
from ten years on the birch and
poplar begin to get foot hold, and
uhder favorable circumstances the
forest cover will be re-established in
about five years more. Cutting would
ordinarily follow about 65 years
from the time of the fires, provided
Inc heat was not sufficient to injure
.ne soil In some of the forest fires
lhe heat Is great enough to delay the
restoration until the soil shall have
oeen renewed by the slow geological
processes of nature. This may take
from 200 to 500 years.
While the forest fire warden SER
wee Is managed by the State, the ex-
pelses thereof are borne wholly by
sne land owners. All bills are paid
ron rom special tax levied upon the
thnoerlands, but before the money is
nndaaed over the vouchers must be
y. Nd by the Forest Commission
es, The State Auditor, and the Gov
a. ,.inor and Council. All this red tape
100 much for the average fire
nsnter, and the timber people are
as aow paying the men directly them
%a' seives' taking the vouchers and then
"aitlng for the slow and majestic
SSocesses Of the sovereign power.
lta leA' pay day is large factor in the