The great Ocean County fire of 1930

 Ocean County Fire of 1930

As reported in the pages of the New Jersey Courier, 9 May 1930

FIERCE FIRES RAGE FOUR DAYS DESTROY FIFTY OR MORE HOMES Tuckerton Lost One House in Four Days Tuckerton, May 8--For a period of three days this town experienced the worst series of forest fires ever recorded here. Beginning with Saturday afternoon and still raging on Wednesday night. Every able bodied man and even school boys were fighting fires. There were companies here from Atlantic City, Ocean City, Pomona, Beach Haven, West Creek, Manahawkin, Beach- Arlington and other places. During the time a thousand or more men have been at work. The first fire started on Saturday afternoon at Tuckerton Manors, a new development on North Green street road, and quickly spread through the Wood street area, but above the houses, burned out to the New York road, endangering the Marine Radio Station, the home of James Cullen, his son's and Joseph Petzak's. These places were saved only after a hard fight. On Sunday another blaze started near Job's Creek at Mathistown. With a wind blowing at 50 miles an hour, the firefighters were almost helpless. The old Maja Mathis homestead at the Burlington County line was completely destroyed. This fire, too, was believed controlled late at night, but on Monday it sprung up again with renewed vigor, the wind blowing from the southwest. A part of Sunday's fire had crossed the road and burned down toward shore and the Tuckerton high powered radio station. Men fought the two separate blazes all night. At noon on Tuesday, the fire near the old stage road back of Galetown started again, the wind blowing from the northwest. Had it not been for the splendid work of the fireman and the timely assistance of other companies without a doubt at this time not only Galetown but the entire town of Tuckerton would have been wiped out. This time late in the afternoon it had burned into Galetown, out to the New York road again and jumped the road in places. The fire was as close as 20 yards to some houses. Sparks ignited the roofs of others, but not a home was lost. At six o'clock, Chief Luker announced that the gravest part of the danger was over, but the main fire was not really subdued until late in the evening. Fire Chief Thomas S. Luker, Fire Warden Arthur Mathis, district wardens were on the go continually. Many of these men had no sleep for more than 72 hours, and ate only as they snatched it at the fire house where the Women's Auxiliary worked day and nights preparing ice water, coffee and sandwiches. Food was even sent from Pleasantville by a lunch car owner and the food was taken out to the scene of the fire by both women and men in their cars. Especially good work was done in this line by Mrs. Edward Cortz, who drove thru the flames time and time again. Monday and Tuesday the pupils of Giffordtown school were dismissed, the fire being within a few feet of the school. People were frantic as the wind drove the fire directly on the town. Fire engines were placed in different sections of the town in case some of the flying cinders should ignite any houses. Many people gathered together their valuables and clothing, prepared to flee. Not an accident even occurred even though traffic was thick. Three Wooden Bridges in County Gone Freeholder U.S. Grant of the bridge committee reports that Vince's Bridge, over Toms River Main Brook, Bowman's Bridte near Cassville, and a smaller bridge in the same section were burnt. Also, two bridges at Forked River, east of the Main Shore Road. Grant estimated the three bridges he named would cost $25,000 to replace with modern structures. Red Cross Was Soon Ready to Give Aid The speed with which the Red Cross tackles problems when there is need for immediate work, was shown by this fire. The Ocean County Red Cross Chapter, headed by Mrs. Edward Crabbe, on Monday had telegrams from the Monmouth Chapter, Mrs. Eisner of Red Bank, asking if aid were needed for those burnt out of their homes. The same day, Monday, the National Red Cross at Washington, through Miss Bertha Bray, who started in Red Cross work at Toms River, asked Mrs. Crabbe if help were needed. Wednesday two Red Cross officials from Washington were in Toms River and spent two days looking over the fire swept territory. They were: Miss Helen M. Colwell and C. Wade Downing. They were told by the Toms River officers of the Ocean County chapter that men in this territory stood on their own two feet, and that it would not be necessary to sent out a general appeal for aid, as has been done in cases like the big floods and storms, and earthquakes. The Ocean County Chapter said the county could take care of the situation. The Red Cross, which after all means the people of Ocean County, are ready to look into any call for help, and if it is found worthy, to grant help. Lost Five Houses in Osborneville Section Five houses were lost in the Osborneville section. This was the fire that started east of River avenue, near the hospital, in Lakewood. It destroyed the homes of Raymond Clayton, Mrs. Katie VanNote, Mrs. Rebecca Osborn, James Gant, Sr.,, (also a large barn), and Jack Worth. Tissot's chicken houses were burnt. Several other houses were on fire from time to time, but were saved. Monday the fire crossed Kettle Creek and burnt the camp, including houses, boathouses and boats, belonging to Bruce Larrabee of Lakewood, and known as Cherokee. The Pioneer Hose Company and visiting firemen, with their apparatus, saved many houses. Fire Warden John L. Patterson and Township Committeeman William H. Osborn directed the fire fighters. Other losses reported are cranberry bogs, belonging to Alonzo Van Note, Mrs. Mary L. Gant's bog, Tylee Gant's barn, several garages and Mrs. May Gant's auto. Mrs. E. Osborn was taken to Kimball Hospital, overcome by excitement, and so was Mr. Barnett, who was overcome fighting fire. Mrs. Katie Van Note, an aged woman, was also taken to the hospitalafter her home was burnt. Losses Numerous in Jackson Township Losses were not so bad as at first reported in Jackson Township. It was thought that the fires sweeping through Sunday must have wiped out many farmsteads, but comparatively few were lost. Those reported were: Harry Anderson house on Francis Mills-Lakewood road, and the unoccupied Maulsbury house nearby; Ephraim Lemming house and sawmill, and oubuildings; the Webbville schoolhouse, unoccupied; two bungalows near Cassville, belonging to George Miller; Fred Poppe's barns and othe buildings, except his house; George Camp,Van Hiseville, house and barn. It was also reported that Mrs. Mary Luker and McClellan Gant of Harmony lost homes in another fire. Losses Near Lakewood Were Not Serious The Lakewood section escaped serious loss to homes. The Sunday fire starting at Spruce street, burned small summer homes of William Dindle, North Bergen, and Edward Kennedy, Hoboken; chicken house and chicks of Emma Schrarneck, and Goss's garage. Laurelton-Cedar Bridge Had Sunday Fire Another fire started Sunday on Ocean Avenue, Lakewood, near Estelle's Corner, and swept to Laurelton and Cedar Bridge. William Estelle, Lakewood, lost barn. Flames Cut Wide Swaths of Desolation in Many Parts of County Tireless and Courageous Fire Fighters Minimize Threatened Disaster Homes, Outbuildings, Cranberry Bogs, 70,000 acres of Woods burnt The worst forest fires ever known in Ocean County in point of damage done and homes destroyed, were driven on Sunday last before a northwest gale, followed on Monday by flanking fires, when the wind turned almost at right angles and made the long path of Sunday's fires an attacking front. Though it is now Thursday night when this is going to press, it is impossible to get a complete checkup on losses, but the original estimate of nearly a hundred homes gone, which was made last Monday, can not be far from the truth. Forked River had the greatest loss on Sunday, when the Presbyterian church and something like thirty homes, barns and fair sized buildings were razed to the ground. The fires covered a wide range of territory. On Sunday, fire wardens say there were twelve fires burning in Ocean County, and as many more in Monmouth County. Had it not been that half of New Jersey, Staten Island, and Long Island and many other states, all affected by the same weather conditions, suffered the same outbreak of fires, we must have thought these numerous fires here the work of a gang of firebugs. The same happenings in so widespread a territory however would seem to eliminate that explanation. Ocean County Sunday had three main fires. One started near the Central Railroad, claimed by some to have been set by the Blue Comet [NOTE:-for those of you unfamiliar, this was a train that ran through the pines--Brian] Sunday morning, about a mile and a half north of Whitings. This was the fire that swept over Keswick Colony in the morning and reached Forked River and Waretown in the afternoon, and on Monday, when a southwest wind sprang up at right angles to it's Sunday path, sent new fires here and there on a front from Forked River to Lakehurst, causing much alarm and no little damage. Another and still larger fire, started in Monmouth County near Clarksburg, and swept down the rear of the Naval Air station, doing a great deal of damage as it came through the scattered hamlets and farmsteads of Jackson township. One report says this was originally two fires, started several miles apart, and joining after they passed the Lakewood- New Egypt road. Another report says it started as one fire, split into two, and joined again. Monday this fire also sent out new attacks, from Whitesville to Toms River the fires were perhaps to be credited to this main fire. Another fire started Sunday at Spruce Street, near River avenue, Lakewood, and swept to Osbornville and Silverton. One of the grave dangers of backfires set by inexperienced and frightened people, starting new fires where the danger did not even exist before and making the hazard and the loss that much greater. This must have happened many times. While the state fire-fighting force was compelled to supervise fires in eleven different counties, it gave a full share of it's attention to Ocan County. Major Leonidas Coyle, state Fire Warden, in an airplane flew over the fires and dropped written directions where it was possible. Capt. John Thornburg of Mt. Holly, Warden Erving Clement of Lakehurst, and others were on the go for three days and two nights. Fires Lasted Saturday Till Thursday While Sunday was the worst day of the fires, and Monday the second worst, fire companies were still out on Tuesday, when several bad blazes developed on the flanks of previous fires. One threatened Whitesville, and swept over to Lakewood road in Dover and Lakewood Townships. Around Silverton there was a threatening fire on Wednesday. Back of Barnegat near Sim Place there was fire yesterday.