The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1941-05-08
FOREST FIRES
CONTINUE TO
SPREAD DAMAGE
One Near FriendsviIle Destroyed
Over 1000 Acres-Farm Homes
Endangered Near Oakland

Forest fires continued to inflict
serious loss upon Garrett county resi-
dents this week with two large fires
and several smaller ones.
More than 400 men worked desper-
ately to check a raging forest fire
near Friendsville on Sunday which
swept over 1000 acres. The blaze was
particularly difficult to handle be-
cause of stiff breezes prevailing at
the time.
Threatened by the roaring flames
for a time were three large farm
dwellings near Friendsville, those of
William Jones, George Teats, and
Samuel Friend. About ten freight
ing crews, supplemented by volunteer
firemen from Friendsville and
Grantsville and ITS CCC youths from
the Swallow Falls and Meadow Noun
tain camps, worked to check the fire
which was north of Big Bear creek
on Keyser's ridge. 1t destroyed valu-
able timber on land owned by the
Mccullough Coal Corporation, Samuel
Friend, Mrs. N R. Selby, Fred
HENDERSON, Edward Savage and
George Teats. A sawmill owned by
HENDERSON was threatened for a
time.
One Near Oakland
Another large one near Oakland
broke out Monday morning, presum-
ably from the city dump on the west
bank of the Youghiogheny river,
about two miles from town. The wind
quickly carried it across the river
where it spread through the forest,
endangering the farm of Mrs. O. R.
Leighton and adjacent farms, and the
farm of DR.. NJ C. limbaugh, even
jumping through the cleared out land
and continuing eastward and endang
ering the barn on the Mitchell farm,
on route 219, north of Oakland. 1t
burned around the municipal golf
course but did no extensive damage
there. 1t was reported that few of
the cows owned by Mrs. Leighton
were singed and injured as result
of the flames.
| The Oakland Firemen helped in ex-
tinguishing this fire and averting the
danger.
Four other woods fires swept a
total of more than $50 acres in this
county on Sunday, one at White Rock,
near Friendsville, burned over 100
acres. Blazes at Miller's Run and
/! Underwood accounted for forty acres,
while one burned small area near
Luke, but in this county
The Oakland firemen answered two
alarms on Saturday, both grass fires,
one near the home of Sam Woods, Mt.
Lake Park, and another one at Sand
Flat. Damage in both instances was
slight.
One Near Swallow Falls
Another fire swept over thousand
acres on Piney mountain and in the
Salt Block section before being
brought under control. The blaze
swept into the state from West Vir-
ginia, and was brought under control
after threatening for a time, to adj
vance into the Swallow Falls recrea
| tional area.
The fire advanced before a high
wind and flames sometimes leaped
several hundred feet off the main
blaze.
Two blazes near Swanton burned
over 225 acres.
Situation Critical
State Forester f. w. Besley stated
the situation was more critical than
at any time in the past twenty years.
He declared that nothing less than a
soaking rain will bring relief. An
ordinary heavy shower would be
soaked up in few hours"
Meanwhile, forestry officials and
county authorities were busy this
week trying to track down those per-
sons suspected of setting out fires,
but thus far no arrests had been
made One particular fire, in the
Friendsville section, was almost GER
tainly of incendiary origin, officials
declared.
Rain Brings Relief
The forest wardens and all forest
fire fighters breathed sighs of relief
yesterday afternoon as light rains
fell, and then continued to feel better
as more rain fell during the night.
The signs of relief of wardens were
as nothing compared to those of
farmers throughout the county. Yes
terday's rainfall was considered valu-
able to the extend of thousands of
dollars in restoring pasture lands and
giving fresh start to the gardens
and crops that already had been
planted.
One serious blaze was not brought
under control until yesterday after
noon after raging since Monday
morning at o'clock, believed to have
i n