Milford chronicle., 1926-04-30
Glendale

Week and only stopped when 1t had
nothing more to feed upon.
The damage done to the timber
where the fire ranged is almost be-
yond estimating, as the greatest loss
was to the owners of young grow
ing timber which would have been
small fortunes for the possessions III
a few years. A tract of 1875 acres OIL
pine owned by the heirs OF the late
Senator Reed, some large enough Ior
Milling. was completely rulheu'
others were equally as unfortunate.
The fire burned over a space OIL
about five thousand acres east VI
tho ID. M. & V. r. r. COmmenclhs
at Robbins it swept north TO Key
nolds Mill, burning swain aI .1s.. let'st
two miles wide and seven hllles
long. completely destroying eVe!!
thing in its path with the exception
of a few homes which were saVeu ny
tbe firemen. Many raccOons' opus
sums. rabbits, squirrels and many
kind OF birds perished IN the nalileS'
The holly trees and huckleDerIy
bushes which were so plentiful IN
the burned district were completeiy
DESTROYED. This loss Will be sOrely
felt by the inhabitants on the east
eide of the railroad, who always useu
! the revenue derived from the max
ing of holly wreaths and gathering
bnckleberries to give to themselves
and families many comforts Whlch
tbev would not otherwise have.
The ire was often so intense tnat
the fighters and fire trucks had 10
seek shelter from the severe neat
and at times only by quick move
ment could they escape being enVel-
oped by the flames.
If was soon evident to those pres
ent that to save the homes III tne
Dath of the fire from destrucIlon
would require the united effort Oh
all. This proved a wise move as al
homes were saved but one. Ihls was
the home of William Hanser "1O
lost all: residence, householu sOOus
ond crons. This is a severe DlOW u
this fine colored man who Is poor
II will take him long time to get
hack the value of the property "nion
no lost in a few minutes by the hre'
The flames with mighty rush
kent on it's destructive COURSE nv
only burning everything OF an u
Gammable nature, from lts paIn,
-,anv stacks of fodder were burned
and farming utensils in great num-
hers fell a prey to the consuming
fire. .,,io,, oouId he
done would stop the forward mOVe-
ment of this mighty heat. Men "oIA-
ed liked Trojans to cheek tne az a.
vance. but time and time AGAIN Meie -
comnelled to retire defeated untll II
6Urned itself out and came TO d
standstill very close to Reynolds M
D Church. leaving untouched Doln
Tho church and mill at that point
When the fire reached the home OIL
Henry Potter and threatened to de-
etrov his residence, mill and out
buildings some of which were al
ready on fire, and when MI FOtCel
and family expected to lose every
thing except the clothes which they
we're wearing, the Ellendale hreme1
With their chemical engine appeared
on the scene and by heroic WOrk
managed to save all the bullolngs
from destruction. The boys Will
coats off and sleeves rolled up soon
nut the burning buildings out anu anu
, by backfiring turned the names away
from the property; thus saving MI
potter from a loss of several thous-
and dollars. He says he owes tne
saving of his home and other Dullo-
inqs solely to the wonderful WORK
which was done by the gallant laus aus
of the Ellendale Fire Brigade MI
Potter lost his timber.
This was the largest and most oe-
structive fire which has happened III
tbe memory of our Oldest citizens
some who are SO years OF age. II
will take a hundred years to restore
the forests which this contagratloI
destroyed.
Your correspondent witnessed some
of the destructive force displayed DS
the great fire. He saw the mlghtS
flames as they climbed the glan
oaks and pines which burned tneH
black to the top. He saw the unlteC
flames send up a glow of such IL
Illuminating power that the heavens
looked as if on fire. 1t was grue'
some sight, terrible to look upon
| The thought came to the writer
, mind, will it look like the scene
= witnessed if God ever destroys thu
/ world by fire on account OF sin!
=. The farmers in this section arr
t very busy blowing for corn ant
4 other crops. The backward sprlni
= has retarded the work to the exten
y that the tillers of the soil will hav'
r to labor early and late to enabl
them to catch up with their WORK
S The wheat crop is looking fairl,
well. The fruit crop, more or les
4 damaged. The berries are in goo'
= shape so far. If no more killing
frosts come, we think there will b
fruit and berries enough for all. Tn
potato acreage will be greater thi
year than last.
Many towns in Delaware and else
e where are retarded in their groWt
= by a few persons holding the land
suitable for building purposes, an
:, refusing to sell, or improve them i
E, any way. 1t has often been said tina
s a person could not buy a buildin
site in Ellendale at any price. To re
o fute this assertion come to the sal
e of building lots on May list at l l
e IN. and you will find that there
:. one person who is willing to sell an
will sell. These lots will double thel
= present value in a very short time
: See large posters.
j The Epworth League Social vii
a meet at the home Of Mr.. and Mrs
= Oliver Lynch on Monday evening