Report of the Forest Commission. 95 



The territory devastated by the flames covers a stretch reaching from the 

 East Weymouth line to Norwell, and about three miles wide, or about nine 

 square miles. 



The timber land burned over was some of the most valuable in this part of 

 the State, and was owned mostly by small holders. There were a few owners 

 whose holdings would am >unt to 100 or more acres each, but the larger part 

 of it was held in small amounts. 



It is impossible to give a list of the owners or to estimate correctly the 

 amount of damage done to the cut and standing wood, but it is claimed that 

 the loss will amount to between $10,0C0 and $15,000. 



The homesteaders whose places are endangered are to-night doing watch- 

 men's duty in patrolling the edge of the fire circle to protect their property 

 from destruction It will be an anxious vigil for the men, who are completely 

 exhausted from the effects of their arduous toils of the past 30 hours, and 

 whom only dire necessity would compel to perform the task. 



Man Burning Busfies Causes a Disastrous Forest Fire in West Duxbury. 



[Special Dispatch to the Boston Herald.] 



Duxbury, May 14, 1894. — A man burning bushes in William Baker's cran- 

 berry bog at Tarkill village, West Duxbury, was the cause of a very disastrous 

 forest fire. The brush fire became unmanageable, and spread out through the 

 woods. Charles Chandler's place on the Pembroke and Boston road was in 

 great danger, being saved by plowing around it. Even then the flames ran 

 within a few feet of his barn. 



From this point the fire ran in a southerly direction, coming out on the 

 highway, which it jumped easily, impelled by a strong northwest wind. The 

 range of houses on the northern side of the road was saved by plowing and 

 an active shovel brigade. 



Where the fire crossed the road at Four Mile Hill, the highway is nearly 50 

 feet wide, but this was no barrier to the flames. Nahum Sampson's house was 

 on the opposite side of the road. Buckets, tubs, hand-force pumps and other 

 improvised fire quenchers were brought into use, and the house and buildings 

 were saved after a sharp fight. 



The flames, which at times reached 50 feet in the air, ran through a heavy 

 growth of large pine, with considerable good oak wood in scattering lots, 

 traveling toward Horatio Chandler's, some two miles away. All precautions 

 possible were taken against its reaching the buildings, although they were 

 puny when compared with the devouring element. Fortunately, just before 

 the edge of the woods was reached, the wind came out to the eastward, and 

 drove the flames away and toward Mr. Chandler's sawmill, a mile distant. 

 Scattered around the mill were hundreds of thousands of feet of box board 

 piled for seasoning, and cords on cords of edgings and slabs were near by. 



Trenching was resorted to to save the mill and lumber, but the outcome 

 seemed dubious indeed, when a shift of wind to southeast swung the line of 

 fire back toward the burned district. 



The length of the entire tract burned is about three miles and it is estimated 

 that anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 acres are now a blackened waste. The 

 burnt track is about three-quarters of a^mile wide. 



