Report of the Forest Commission. 99 



Portland, Me., May 16. — Information received here to-day from Hastings, 

 where a forest fire has been raging several days, is to the effect that 40,000 

 logy, or about 8,000,000 feet of lumber, belonging to the Wild River Lumber 

 Company, have been destroyed. The loss is about $8,000, on which there is 

 no insurance. The latest news received this evening indicates that the fire- 

 fighters have it under reasonable control, and that not much further damage 

 is to be feared. 



Hastings escaped, but many valuable lumber camps were burned with all the 

 outfits for carrying on lumbering operations. No estimate of the loss has been 

 as yet made. The yarded stock escaped. 



New Hampshire. 



Nashua, N. H., May 16. — An extensive forest fire has raged all this after- 

 noon and evening in the reservoir district, burning over a very large territory. 



Connecticut. 



Rockville, Conn., May 16. — Tolland's forest fire, which started Sunday 

 afternoon, was still burning to-day in the vicinity of Square Pond, having 

 burned over nearly 1,000 acres. 



A big gang of men has fought the fire day and night. 



A number of houses and barns were saved only by setting back-fires. 



The total loss will be $3,000. 



Ohio. 



{Akron Republican, O., October 22, 1894.) 

 The swamp fire west of the city is assuming proportions that threaten to cause 

 great damage unless some prompt measures are taken to extinguish the same. 

 During the last 36 hours the fire has made great headway and is now burning 

 with a fierceness that surpasses any fire that has occurred in the vicinity for 

 years. The farmers residing in the vicinity fully realize the gravity of the 

 situation and are working night and day to check the flames. 



Mayor Watters drove to the place yesterday afternoon, and found about 40 

 men and an equal number of women working might and main to drive back 

 the flames. These parties worked until night, when another crowd took their 

 place, keeping at the task until this morning, when they were in turn relieved. 

 A dead line or ditch has been built at the east side of the swamp for a distance 

 of three-fourths of a mile, and so far this has checked the fire in that direc- 

 tion. The trees and timber are suffering to an enormous extent. The leaves 

 being dry they readily ignite and blaze up to such an extent that the tree 

 proper is fired. Every few moments a loud crash announces that timber has 

 fallen to the ground. This is kept up continually, night and day. 



The muck of the swamp, which is several feet in depth, is the best means 

 of spreading the conflagration. This stuff burns like tinder. There seems to 

 be no means of extinguishing the blaze until a heavy rain or heavy 

 fall of snow comes. The nearest point from which water could be secured , 

 in case one of the local fire engines went to the scene, is White Pond, fully a 

 mile distant. 



