Evening star., 1947-10-25
|Arsoniists Sought
As Rising Winds
Maine Fires
9TH Hamlet Burns;
Calm Night Helps
To Check Flames
BY the A ted Press

a new defense foothold against
the New England forest fire
sweep but they were working
fast today against freshening
winds as police throughout the
area hunted firebugs.
Hard-hit Maine. with seven COM
munities destroyed, reported its
busiest front today in Washington
County and the Weather Bureau
said winds may climb to Is miles
an hour. Washington County ad-
joins Hancock, in which this COM
munity Is situated, to the northeast.
A dip in temperatures below 20
during the night had left light
coating of frost on most of the
wooded areas, slowing the flames.
However, by mid-morning. the mer-
curry rose again to the sos.
Reported evidence of arson was
being investigated by police from
Cape Cod to Maine and Massachu-
sets was fighting two fiareups in
Falmouth on Cape Cod and Glou-
cester.
This island resort reported its
stand against flames "the best it
has been" and police authorized Sam
J. Sachman to open his clothing
store to supply fire crews and emer-
gency workers.
Survivors Barred From Area.
Survivors who escaped in a Dun
kerque-like sea evacuation are
banned from returning for at least
another "a hours, Police Chief
George c. Abbott said.
A new report of a million dollar
loss by the Mayor of Rochester,
N. H., brought the New England
fire cost up to $27,000,000.
Relief centers reported housing
an estimated $500 fre-homeless in
Maine.
The Red Cross said the homeless
displaced list might reach 5000 and
estimated that at least sos perma-
nent homes vanished in flames, to-
gether with hundreds of cottages.
Tie fires throughout New England
contributed to national death toll
of 18, with II dead and 100000 acres
burned over in Maine.
Even as Joseph A. P. Flynn, chief
of the Maine Insurance Depart
ment's arson division said he had
"well-grounded suspicious that some
of the fires have been set," police
at Biddeford reported they were
questioning a suspect.
Candle Found Near Pine Needles.
The youth was picked up after
Biddeford police became suspicious
Of a fire which forced evacuation
Of two hospitals.
Fire Chief Arthur s. O'Brien
Of West Falmouth, just outside
Portland, said there was evidence a
candle had been burning within an
inch Of dry pine needles when it
was discovered by two Girl Scouts
on farm. He described it's pres
ence as a "clear-cut case of the
work of a firebug."
Deputy Sheriff Ralph c. Hosmer
Of Standish said burning wood
shavings had been found near a
wood lot in that town, but had been
made harmless.
In Massachusetts, Royal A. Cav,
"a, was arrested for arson and
sentenced to two months in the
House of Correction after admitting
he set fire ION a dare" in the
North Reading woods.
Police in Wilmington, Mass, re-
ported they were questioning two
boys about fires there
Last night Maine saw its seventh
community go up in Hames-the tiny
hamlet of Unionville in Washington
County.
The fire stopped at the jones'
boro border, veered toward Machias
and leveled several buildings.
Bar Harbor. scene of a small-scale
Dunkerque Thursday night, ap-
peared like ghost town" today.
Few Women Left in Town.
Palatial homes, once the show
places of the millionaires' summer
lay in ruins. Haggard
men walked listlessly around, seek
ing some trace of their property.
There were few women in the
town. Most of them were in Els