MAINE FOREST FIRES THREATEN TOWNS

Fight to Keep Flames Back at Brooksville--- One Summer Home Destroyed.

AUGUSTA, Me., Sept. 18.---A dense pall of smoke that in many places obscured the setting sun or made it appear blood red, enveloped the State of Maine to-night as the result of numerous forest fires that are devastating thousands of acres of timber lands and causing grave anxiety for the safety of property in at least fourteen towns in eight counties.

The western section of the town of Brooksville, in Hancock County, was in great danger to-night. The Summer residence of Prof. W. G. Tousey of Tufts College and the barn of Eugene Cousins were destroyed. The last word received form Lisbon, near which there are five square miles of flame, indicated that the Proctor schoolhouse and James Miller's farmhouse and buildings were doomed.

Probably the most serious fire is in Hancock County, but vast sections of woodland are being burned in Piscataquis, Androscoggin, Somerset, Oxford, York, Cumberland, and Penobscot Counties. The towns and villages where the danger is great or damaged heavy include Brooksville, West Hancock, Surry, Dicksvale, Jackman, Lisbon, Scarboro, Biddeford, Eliot, York, Olamon, Milford, Cardville and Costigan.

The most serious situation was at Brooksville. Here hundreds of men were concentrated along the banks of Meadow Brook, trying to keep the flames from crossing that stream. The fire, fed with the parched timber of 3,000 acres, advanced on the village with a front four miles wide. Should the flames cross the stream, not only the town of Brooksville itself, but numerous villages and outlying houses in the neighborhood will probably be destroyed.

The New York Times, New York, NY 19 Sept 1908
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!