96 Report of the Forest Commission. 



Crofton Shute and Edward O'Neil were fighting the fire in the woods and 

 were surrounded by fire before they were aware of it. They were forced to 

 run through the flames. Shute was badly burned about the face, and O' Neil's 

 hands suffered severely. 



Smoke from the fire reached Plymouth and burned leaves fell in Kingston. 



Tarkill had more visitors to-day than it has had for a year, people from the 

 surrounding towns coming in squads to see the magnificent spectacle. 



Miles Burned Over. 



Fires Raging in the Woods Near Seakonk and in South Rehoboth. 



Seekonk, May 14, 1894. — Since last night a forest fire has been raging in 

 Barney's woods, in the westerly part of the town, and to-night it is still eating 

 up the wood over a wide area to the southeast. The farmers fear there is little 

 hope of stopping it. The high wind carried the fierce flames toward Rulin's 

 river, everything going before them. Scores of piles of cordwood were 

 destroyed, and the damage already done will reach hundreds of dollars. All 

 day gangs have been fighting the flames, but without success. 



A forest fire is raging in South Rehoboth, and a tract of woodland three miles 

 square has been burned over. The highways three miles distant are filled with 

 a dense, suffocating smoke, which greatly annoys travelers and residents. 



Yesterday a fire, started from a match in the Newman cemetery, swept the 

 place from one end to the other. The stones were blackened and damaged by 

 the heat, and fences were leveled to the ground. 



The origin of the other fires is not known. 



Much Cordwood Destroyed. 

 Haverhill, May 14, 1894. — Extensive forest fires have been raging three 

 days just over the State line, in Rockingham county, N. H. In Plainstow much 

 cordwood, belonging to various parties, has been destroyed. 



Three Fires Raging at Once — Cottage Destroyed at Big Sandy Pond. 



Plymouth, Mass., May 16. — This afternoon three forest fires could be seen 

 from Burial hill, and to-night a heavy cloud of smoke hangs over the south- 

 erly part of the town. 



The most extensive of these started about noon, near Big Sandy pond, in the 

 southerly part of Plymouth township, about 14 miles from the business part 

 of the town. The fire probably originated from burning brush, as it started 

 near a big cranberry bog. 



A summer cottage on the shore of Big Sandy pond, owned by persons living 

 in Taunton, was burned in spite of great effort to save it by a gang of men. 



This evening the firewards started for the scene with men and provisions. 

 A shifting wind has spread the fire, which is now covering about four square 

 miles and traveling northward. 



The land is wooded with standing oak and pine. Within a radius of about 

 four miles are the settlements at Long pond, White island pond and Cedarville. 



There are also many large cranberry bogsj^in^tbis vicinity. The firewards 



