Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-27
MENA|DF|GHT
| ON FOREST FIRE
Former Service Men In Sani-
tarium Menacsd by Flames
Sweeping Jersey
RIVER HALTS BL AZ E

After a long. hard battle In which
hundreds Of men and women Joined.
New Jerseys big forest fire was ca
tinruished early today. The towns in
the vicinity Of Barncgat Bay were
threatened with destruction. but the
flames were finally stopped by the Man
asouan River. Tubcrcular patients nt
the Allenwood Sanitarium. mostly cx.
service men, were threatened by death
nv fire and suffocation when the flames
swept almost to the walls of the hos.
pital. The buildings were saved, and
tbe pntients arc not believed to have
heen seriously injured by the smoke.
Inmates Of the sanitarium were re.
ported Oil the point Of frenzy before
aid arrived. but quictcd down quickly
when the flames In the vicinity Of the
Luilling were got under control by, fire
companies from Spring Lake and Man.
asquan. a.L
At the sanitarium. a two STORY frame
building. nurses under the direction of
Miss Elizabeth Hynes. the superin-
fendent, had all they could do to prevent
a manic on several occasions. as the
flames lodged about the building and
several times threatened to set it afirc.
Seven nurses were on duty in the hos
c pital at the time.
The brush blaze started at II o'clock
Yesterday morning, and spread SO rap
idly that BY 2 1t had swept the under.
brush and scrub completely over two
mile square tract in the center Of which
the hospital stood in a clearing.
The hospital clearing of slightly more
than an acre was on narrow, sandy
road more than half-mile back from
The Lakewood road. 1t was the country
road that the automobile party, led by
Fire Chief Vernon Newberry. Assist
ant Chief Jefferson Mount and DR.. Rob-
ert l.. Leighton, all Of Spring Lake,
trayersed while. accoi ding to Miss
each side were viciously aflame. She
maid high tribute to the automobilists.
Though none was injured and the ia :
tients we're Guietcd after time. the
dense smoke caused very intense suffer-
ing for hours. and some of those whose
cases arc most serious were. it was
said. adversely affected.
At Ortley one hotel and four bunga-
lows were destroyed. Cottages were
burning ut Cedar Grove, Silycrton and
Lavalettc.
DR.. Rodney Lord owned the Ortlcy
Inn, Of 120 rooms. and three of the
burned cottages. He also owned q
bungalow DESTROYED soon after the fire
broke out. DIR. Rodney lives at Mount
Holly, n. J.
Atlantic City. April PA colOred
settlement near Absecon remained up
through the night waging battle against
the threatening sweep Of flames which
vas driving down upon the village be-
fore high wind. The blaze was
sighted yesterday morning by State
Fire Warden Murray from his tower
in Mckee City. few miles from Mays
Landing.
The fire originated in a cranberry bog
near the city water works reservoir
and cut across fire road directly to the
colored settlement. where thirty families
live. Most of the men were away at
their employment and che women ana
children joined in the fight to protect
their homes. Fire Warden. Hancnstcln.
who lives nearby. is directing the fight
Another blaze started in the woods at
Gravelly Run. on the Mays Landing
road. which was conquered last night
by Warden Babcock and nearly 100
men. The fire devastated q considcra- :
bic area of land. There were no build
ings in its path.
Many farmers engaged in spring
cleaning are burning up trash. The
sparks are probably carried by the wind
into the woodlands.