Evening star., 1947-10-24
Forest Fire Raging Over Island
AfterRozing BorHorborHomes;
Toll in New England Reaches II
Domoee Is Estimated
At Above 8 Million
In Resort Town
pictures on Page A-3.)
BY the Associated Press

o1AAs AA<A4eoS4e, 1NC., WV. 81
This tabled summer colony,
playground of the rich, and six
other communities were virtually
wiped out today as strong winds
famed woodland fires ravaging
New England into fresh fury
with the death toll already at II
and property damage mounting
above $26,000,000.
A spectacular all-night evacuation
by land and Sea-a peacetime Dun
keroue-left Bar Harbor a deserted
town as $500 townsfolks fled in
fright before flames that leveled
from 200 to 300 homes, including
summer showplaces of the interna-
tional society set.
Damage to the ruined mansions
in this town alone was officially
set at $1,000, ,OO0-not counting the
loss of valuable art treasures and
furnishings they contained.
While most of the swank summer
colony of Bar Harbor was destroyed,
the business center of the town was
still intact.
Six other villages left virtually
ghost town" were the York County
dalrying village of Lyman, Brown
field and East Brownfleld in north
ern York County, Goose Rocks near
kennebunkport, Fortunes Rock and
East Waterboro-their populations
averaging close to 500 each.
The Bar Harbor fire, sweeping to-
ward the southeast shore of Mount
Desert Island, was on the edge Of
Otter Greek, a community of $50
families.
Sheriff Norman Dyer expressed
belief that unless the wind shifted
I'VE can hold 1t at Seal Harbor,
Otter Greek and Northeast Harbor."
The fire front was miles from
Seal and Northeast Harbors from
which many residents already had
been evacuated.
AS north winds blew up to force
of 25 miles an hour throughout the
region this notwithstanding mo-
mentum all the time-the outlook
was grim with still no appreciable
amount of rain in sight.
Drought in oath Day.
Light sprinkles are the best that
can be expected before at least Sat-
urday. and probably longer-in the
view of meteorologists-to wet down |!
baked woodlands as the dry spell
went into its oath day.
While the raging flames were
checked in Bar Harbor, fears were
expressed that perhaps it was only
temporary.
"All we've done is stop the fire in
the town." said Selectman Seth Lib
by "a little more wind woud raise
a lot of hell"
Three New England States
Maine, Massachusetts, and New
Hampshire-were virtually on war
time footing as National Guards
men. American Legion members and
other agencies were called out to
fight the flames and care for the
thousands of refugees.
Just before noon, between II and
IS fires were reported still roaring
out of control in Massachusetts,, |
where the loss already is placed at
we'll above $5O0,OO0
Rochester Is Threatened.
In New Hampshire, shifting winds
were driving the flames directly at
the heart of the industrial city of
Rochester at the foot OF the White
Mountains. With the edge of the
fire within miles of that city of
$4,000, school children were being
kept concentrated in the events they
have to be evacuated.
Raymond ]. Kenney, Massa-
chusetts State forester, said 'our
fate depends lot on the weather
and the winds-but if we held dur
ing the night in the teeth of those
winds I think we can hold any,
thing"
Meanwhile. the Coast Guard cut
ter McCulloch bucked mountainous
seas during the night after leaving
Boston to drop anchor at Bar Har-
Dor at 9:15 am, preparatory to
landing special crews and medical
supplies.
The raging forest fire that touched
off the Bar Harbor disaster sped
across Mount Desert Island, men |
acing other communities.
Most of the evacuees, conveyed by
Air Force troops from Dow Field in
Bangor, through fiame-lined,
single road to the mainland, were
sheltered at Ellsworth.
They told of a terrifying" cres-
cent of flame that descended on
their homes-"like a big furnace
around U.S." said Mrs. Andrew Walls.
40.
Mrs. Walls, after hours of waiting
on chilly, wind-swept pier, was
one of hundreds evacuated in lobster
boats, pleasure craft and Coast
Guard vessels.
DeSpife tho fearful eynerienceS