Milford chronicle., 1926-05-14
COMMUNICATION
Ellendale, Del,
ADril Both, 1926.

April Both, 1926.
Editor of the Milford Chronicle,
Milford, Delaware.
Dear Sir:-On the front page of
the Chronicle of April 30th, appears
a news account of the forest fire
which occurred in this section on
April 22nd. 1t reads in part Fire
companies from Milford, Lewes, Mil
ton, Ellendale and Georgetown were
called to the scene, but they were
unable to render any assistance -
giving the impression that the nem-
bers of these fire companies stood
around with their hands in their
pockets and watched things burn.
This is a rank injustice to these
men. No human power could have
checked the fire after it had entered
the large tract of timber north Of
the Queen. Anne Railroad, the var
iOus fire companies devoted their
efforts to saving farm buildings
which were in the path of the ad-
vancing flames, and in this they were
eminently successful.
At one farm the outbuildings were
already blazing when the Glendale
fire truck reached the scene, quick
hot work saved the place. Another
farm home in the midst of this tract
of timber would certainly have been
destroyed had not his same company
at the risk of losing their truck
and equipment-if nothing worse,
gone in over a poor narrow road and
fought the flames. This place was
likewise saved. The fire came in on
me about dark, extensive backfiring
was the only chance of saving my
place, and in this work the Glendale
Fire Company took the lead. Their
fire truck was in my yard, men were
posted at every building ready to
extinguish any blaze which might
have been started by the flying
sparks. AS soon as my place seemed
reasonably safe, they went on 10
other farms which seemed to be in
danger. l have no doubt that the
other fire companies mentioned per-
formed similar valuable service.
Many men fought this fire all day
and far into the night, among them
the members of the fire companies
were not the least. Owing to the
wind moderating, it was finally pos
sible to check the fire on the south
side of the road from New Market to
Reynolds, which is bordered on both
sides with woods, for most of the
entire distance of about two miles.
1t was necessary to backfire along
this road practically the entire dis
tance, and many men were employ
ed in the work, among them some OF
the fire companies.
On Friday night following the fire,
l noticed a glare along the road a
short distance from my place, fire
had started in brush piles on the
north side of the road. My wife and
1 fought this fire, and were getting
it under control, when a car carry
ing several members of the Ellen
dale Fire Company, in charge of
Sam Fisher, drove up. On nothing
more than a hunch, they had decid-
ed to drive out along the fire line
and see if everything was o. K. They
soon had this fire extinguished, and
went on toward Reynolds. Within
half a mile they found another fire
burning briskly on the north side of
the road, and it took some hard hot
work to get it under control with no
thing. more than pine branches to
fight it with. Mr.. Fisher then went
around the neighborhood and got
several men to stand by these fires
the rest of the night. Had either one
of these fires had an additional thir-
ty minutes start, there would have
been no checking them, as the fol
lowing day was very windy, and it is
likely that the fire would have swept
on until it burned itself out at the
beach.
Volunteer fire companies do not as
rule, receive any more praise ant
encouragement than they can com.
fortably use; in this instance it is
certain that a gross injustice has
been done to them and I am quite
sure that many Of my neighborS
whose homes were endangered in the
fire swept area, would, if asked. joir
with me in requesting the Milford
Chronicle to give this letter the
prominence of the editorial page al
least, in simple justice to the mem
bers of the various fire companies.
Yours truly,