The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-12
SHORE FIRE HIT
 BRIDGEPORT MEN
SIX COTTAGES AT SILVER BEACH, MILFORD, DESTROYED IN
 $12,OOO BLAZE.
INCENOIARISM IS SUSPECTED
Total of Eleven Places At Milford Shores Burned in Past Few
 Weeks.

Milford, Dec. 12-As a complement to the epidemic of fires and burglaries with which the town of Milford has been afflicted within the past few weeks six cottages at Silver Beach between Meadows End and Fort TruInbull Beach, in that section known as Island View were burn ed to the ground shortly after o'clock last night, and the greater part of their contents destroyed, entatling a loss of from $12.00O to s15,O0O This burned in the vicinity of Milford with in the last few days, and the town is terTorized. Last week. two cottages were burned near Silver Beach, while at Woodmont. Apparently all the fires were of incendiary origin.
 Though there seems to be no con fires last night and that earlier in the week. Sheriff Maher, after thor ough investigation Of the Woodmont the towns prosecuting attorney would result in the arrest within a few days of the man under suspicion. The man he believes had nothing to do with last nights fire. It is said that a man was seen running across the lots from one of the cottages, shortly be- fore the alarm was given.
 The fire when discovered in the cottage of Samuel Davis, the first in the row, by a conductor on the troll st 7:15. had gained such headway that the wooden structure was a mass of seething flames. and the fire was spreading to the second house. The Milford fire department responded within a short time, but was unable to check the flames because of the to it's utmost could not reach within 800 feet of the burning cottages. There were only two hydrants within reach of the houses. The F6rt Trumb bull Beach fire department assisted the To- cal firemen. and a line of hose 1000 feet long was finally stretched, which when played upon the flames prevent ed the spread to the seventh in the row owned by Harry Cooper.
 The f1rernen and the few cottagers who were around exerted heroic eff forts to get out some of the furnitur e from the burning cottages, and were partly successful. practically every thing being saved except the contents westerly wind blew the sparks and flames from a quarter to 9 half mile from the shore front, and at times spread to the distant cottages.
 The cottages were all, owned by Bridgeport people, Charles H. Wall of 38 Washington Terrace; John Leach of Central avenue; Samuel Davis of s32 Howard avenue; Charles J. Whit ten of BOP Park avenue; Fred F. Kiefer or 5lS W1Il1dn street, w. FS- OaV1fs or ss7 Maple street. They were built last summer and occupied for the first time. that section. of the beach hay ing been only recently developed The loss is partially covered by insurance.
 The fire made such a clean sweep of the beach and was so devouring g in it's character that nothing was left to show whether it had been set or not, and though Sheriff Maher spent many hours in investigation he was unable to produce any proofs of in cendiarism.
 Only recently the residents of the beach petitioned the selectmen of Milford to afford more substantial fire protection. It was pointed out to the selectmen that with the 500 feet of hose immediately available. and the hydrant 1900 feet away from a. string of cottages, the fire hazard was great. When the fire broke out, it was about twice the distance from the hydraI1t as the longest stretch of hose, and while the fire fighters were waiting for additional hose from Mil ford the blaze gained great head