Fire Had Head Start

As many of the people left their tasks shortly after dinner to assemble at the wharf for the arrival of the big Norwegian steamer, their attention was turned from the buildings. Smoke, issuing from the barn of O. C. Moore, fully a quarter of a mile from the wharf, was the first indication given of the fire. The blaze had gained much headway before the arrival of the fire fighting equipment, which is operated by gravity pressure from a reservoir about a mile from the village.

  The barn was quickly destroyed and the flames leaped to Mr. Moore's house which is known as the Maple Inn. Under a burning sun and a warm summer breeze blowing from the southwest, the firemen assisted by hundreds of volunteers fought desperately to confine the flames to these two buildings but the parsonage of the United Church of Canada was soon in flames.

Parsonage Destroyed---

Church Threatened

Rev. Hugh Miller, pastor of the United Church, who recently moved into the parsonage, had been to Prince Edward Island to attend a funeral, and returned this afternoon, only to find his new home in ruins and most of the furniture which he had recently unpacked burned. However, the fire fighters did good work in salvaging some furnishings before the house collapsed. A near-by barn belonging to the parsonage was also destroyed. Then a house and barn owned by George T. Tingley were burned.

  The United Church of Canada itself was threatened and flames caught in the rear portion but the timely work of the Albert firemen halted them and saved the building. One man collapsed under the terrific heat but was revived.

Moncton Assisted

  As indications were that the entire village might be wiped out, & call for assistance was sent to His Worship Mayor C. H. Blakeny, of Moncton, and at 3:20 the No 1 motor hose and chemical of the Moncton department left that city and arrived here about an hour later, making exceptionally good time on the long run. The Moncton firemen were under the direction of S. E. McKie, deputy fire chief of the City, and other members of the crew were Corey McKinnon, driver, "Sim" Bursey, ROY Spence, Jack Williams, and Fred Bell.

  After destroying the United Church parsonage, the fire leaped across and razed several buildings along that side of the road, including the beautiful residence of Mrs. I. C. Prescott, and then leaped back again to destroy more buildings on the same side of the road on which the fire started. There being no more buildings on this side of the road, in the path of the sweeping flames they jumped across the main road leading to Moncton in a north easterly direction and quickly enveloped other residences and barns.

Fire Played Strange Prank

  While the firemen were battling hard to halt the progress of the flames at this point and eventually succeeded, the fire played a strange prank and a deadly one to six head of cattle and a horse which were in the barn owned by Aubrey Stiles situated about three quarters of a mile from the burning buildings. Cinders apparently were blown over several nearer buildings to alight on the Stiles barn and before it was noticed, the flames had made such

Head way it was impossible to save any of the livestock, Mr. Stiles' loss was a heavy one.

  Firemen, who battled throughout the afternoon, were near exhaustion when the advance of the flames was finally halted. Occasionally during their efforts to quench the fire, it was necessary to spray them with water. Several were scorched about their hands, arms and face. Lack of proper fire fighting wearing apparel, made the task more strenuous for the fighters.

Breeze Died Down And

                                 Fire Arrested

  Late in the evening, however, as the breeze died down and a calm rested over the village, weary firemen still guarded the smouldering ruins as residents checked their losses, some of which are severe. While in most cases considerable of the furniture was salvaged from the burning residences, others lost heavily. Several homes which were not burned had been evacuated in the fear that the flames might spread.

  The owner of a small fox ranch situated within the danger zone took precautionary measures by putting his foxes into bags, and carrying them to safety, however, his efforts were not necessary as the flames cut off the flames and halted the fire before they reached the ranch.

  Today's fire was the worst and most disastrous that has visited this quiet village for 28 years. In 1905 the entire business section was laid in ruins and the losses were a great deal higher than they are as a result of today's conflagration. Some of those who sustained losses today, are protected to some extent financially, by insurance, although an estimate of the amount covered in this way, could not be learned tonight. Although no explanation could be given of the cause of the outbreak, it was rumoured about the village it might have been caused by children in the barn in which the fire started.

  Citizens of Albert Counting losses

Mrs Ezra Stiles lost Five Buildings at Estimated Loss of $15,000

Carried No Insurance and is Heaviest Loser

FOREST FIRE FOLLOWS CONFLAGRATION

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Valuable Timber Destroyed by Fire Which Broke Out on hills About a Mile from Riverside and Menaced District

(Special to The Times)

Albert, Albert County, July 28 While residents of this little village added up their losses today as the result of yesterday's conflagration which swept out a portion of the residential section called "Upper Corner", seventy-five men, gathered from various parts of the surrounding countryside battled a raging forest fire up on the hills, about a mile from Riverside.

  The cause of the forest fire, which tonight had burned over an area of thickly wooded land estimated at about three square miles, is attributed to a spark from yesterday's fire in the village. While firemen battled courageously to halt the advance of the flames here, the fire broke out in the woods, and unresisted, licked up valuable lumber and spread rapidly.

  Advancing before a brisk breeze today it became a menace and Fire Warden Russell Wallace of this village, summoned a large crew of men in an effort to halt its progress. They struggled against the combined forces of intense heat from the sun and the flames, and tonight word reaching here, was to the effort they were near exhaustion. The wind died down tonight, giving the fire fighters renewed hope and the opinion was expressed by those returning from the burning area that the fire will be brought under control tomorrow. The burned area is owned by Alonzo Stiles, Jack Teahan and Mrs. Maria McLellan.

Losses Were Heavy

  But in the meantime those residents of the village, who were burned out, are checking over the losses and making plans for the future. Some have already signified their intention of rebuilding immediately while others are undecided. As a result of the check-over however the estimated losses vary little from a previous estimate.