Pine Barren History Shorts

Teegate

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I was heading out and did not have time to do the proper research in my records. I may have posted this before.

6/3/1938

Forest Fire Service Plans Dedication of Memorial to ex-Chief

Officials of the FFS plan to dedicate a memorial on Route 40 (Route 72), Burlington County to the late Colonel Leonidas Coyle, for more than 25 years head of the bureau.

Colonel Coyle, a notive of Bridgeton and first commander of the NJ American Legion, was instrumental in having forest fires controlled by short-wave radio and with the use of airplanes. He was known as "the flying colonel."

The marker will be erected this summer adjacent to the department's new flying field on the Burlington County plains.

**********

You can still see the foundations to this right in front of Coyle Field along 72.
 

Teegate

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125 years ago this past month.

It is all about lumber!


Extensive Forest Fires. They visit the lower sections of Burlington County

April 7 1894

The timer lands in the lower end of Burlington County have again been visited by a series of forest fires that resulted in a heavy loss to the owners. The fires were undoubtedly of incendiary origin, but the offenders have not yet been arrested, although there is good reason to believe that they are members of a gang of pine hawkers who were recently evicted for stealing timber.

The fire was first discovered on Wednesday night in the vicinity of Burr's Mill, about eight miles from Vincentown, and spread rapidly over the intervening country to Paisley, which had a narrow escape from destruction. All the residents of that locality turned out to fight the fires, but they would not have been successful had not the wind fortunately changed and carried the flames in another direction. A cranberry bog, belong to General John S. Irick was burned over. In the vicinity of Johnson Place a tract of about fifty acres was burned over.

Another fire was started near Speedwell and traversed the country to the westward as far as Jones Mill, laying waste a tract of country over a mile in width. Most of the timber, however was of smaller growth. The fire finally brought up against an old swamp that had been burned over last year, and, being without material to feed upon, soon died out.

The third fire was started on the timber tract of George B. Upton, of Boston , Mass. This extended from the old iron forge to within a mile of Hanover station, where it was met by a gang of men employed on the tract, under the leadership of Charles H. Pittman (Rattlesnake Ace's dad and one time owner of Mt. Misery and Upton), who by means of backfiring succeeded in saving several hundred cords of wood ranked up along the railroad track ready for shipment. The fire then swept to the eastward as far as Manchester, on the line of the NJ Southern Railroad, where it was finally extinguished. A determined effort will now be made to ferret out the incendiaries and bring them to justice if possible.
 
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imkms

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Feb 18, 2008
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SJ and SW FL
When ever I read old stories like this, I am always impressed by the writing style. Very accurate, precise and enjoyable to read. Much better than the writing skills found in most of today’s press. These same skills are often present in old letters written by civil war soldiers who usually ended their education in grammar school!
 
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125 years ago this past month.

It is all about lumber!


Extensive Forest Fires. They visit the lower sections of Burlington County

April 7 1894

The timer lands in the lower end of Burlington County have again been visited by a series of forest fires that resulted in a heavy loss to the owners. The fires were undoubtedly of incendiary origin, but the offenders have not yet been arrested, although there is good reason to believe that they are members of a gang of pine hawkers who were recently evicted for stealing timber.

The fire was first discovered on Wednesday night in the vicinity of Burr's Mill, about eight miles from Vincentown, and spread rapidly over the intervening country to Paisley, which had a narrow escape from destruction. All the residents of that locality turned out to fight the fires, but they would not have been successful had not the wind fortunately changed and carried the flames in another direction. A cranberry bog, belong to General John S. Irick was burned over. In the vicinity of Johnson Place a tract of about fifty acres was burned over.

Another fire was started near Speedwell and traversed the country to the westward as far as Jones Mill, laying waste a tract of country over a mile in width. Most of the timber, however was of smaller growth. The fire finally brought up against an old swamp that had been burned over last year, and, being without material to feed upon, soon died out.

The third fire was started on the timber tract of George B. Upton, of Boston , Mass. This extended from the old iron forge to within a mile of Hanover station, where it was met by a gang of men employed on the tract, under the leadership of Charles H. Pittman (Rattlesnake Ace's dad and one time owner of Mt. Misery and Upton), who by means of backfiring succeeded in saving several hundred cords of wood ranked up along the railroad track ready for shipment. The fire then swept to the eastward as far as Manchester, on the line of the NJ Southern Railroad, where it was finally extinguished. A determined effort will now be made to ferret out the incendiaries and bring them to justice if possible.


"Rattlesnake Ace" ??! Who was this guy?
 
When ever I read old stories like this, I am always impressed by the writing style. Very accurate, precise and enjoyable to read. Much better than the writing skills found in most of today’s press. These same skills are often present in old letters written by civil war soldiers who usually ended their education in grammar school!


Not only that, you could read their elegant handwriting. My best friend teaches an evening college course, "Business Communication". None of her mostly adult students can compose a concise, coherent paragraph.
Spellcheck and the internet have a lot to answer for. Cursive writing is a thing of the past, the kids don't know how. Some of them have never handwritten anything, not even a signature.
I am a real throwback; I use a fountain pen and actual ink for personal letters, on paper!
 

Teegate

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"Rattlesnake Ace" ??! Who was this guy?


https://books.google.com/books?id=5GFauv67InQC&pg=PA92&dq=rattlesnake+ace+pittman&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjdk9KfgZziAhWjc98KHXm8BKwQ6AEIKjAA#v=onepage&q=rattlesnake ace pittman&f=false

Lost Town Hunter told me his home was about 100 feet from the location the 1931 aerials show, and I would think the aerials would not be wrong. In any event, I believe he lived here under the letter N in Upton and you can clearly see all of the roads heading SE from his property. They all lead to the Mt. Misery area where he also owned land and where.he searched out and captured rattlesnakes.

https://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.93456460708338&lng=-74.5260428230095&z=17&type=nj1930&gpx=


His family had a brick factory on Mt. Misery Road and Lost Town Hunter told me Ace's wife told him she could look out the window of their home and see the glow from the ovens on Mt. Misery Road. There is no serviving evidence of the brick factory.
 
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Teegate

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I am pretty certain the ones on the North side just slightly to the West is the Upton Station.
 

Teegate

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Asa's wife lost the house to a fire in April 1963. Her dogs and possessions were lost also. He died about 10 years earlier. She still was collecting and selling snakes in 1964.
 

Teegate

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I just found info that says his brickyard was in Whiting and it burned down.
 

Teegate

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Marine Flyer Hurt in Chatsworth Crash

Chatsworth, July 25 1950

A Marine pilot was injured late this afternoon when his Corsair airplane crashed into a blueberry field during a forced landing. The pilot, whose name was withheld, is stationed at Cherry Point, N.C. The plane crashed on the farm of Joel Mick, Allentown Road, between New Gretna and Chatsworth.
 

Teegate

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4/19/1909

Blames C.R.R For Bog's Loss

Andrew Rider asks jury for $5000 for destruction of cranberry field. Spark from engine is cause ascribed

Circuit Court Judge Endicott and a jury is hearing testimony today in the suit of Andrew J. Rider against the CRR of NJ, to recover $5000 damages. The plaintiff declares that the defendant"so wrongfully, carelessly, unskillfully negligent and improperly" used one of its locomotives that his cranberry bogs were destroyed by fire.

This is the second case of this character in which Carrow & Kraft have been engaged during the week. A verdict for $10, 875 was given for the American Ice Company and $1000 for John H. Ogg against the West Jersey and Seashore Railroad Company, the plaintiffs property being destroyed by a fire from a spark from a locomotive.

In the Rider case it is alleged that on November 27, 1908, a spark from a locomotive belonging to the defendant company ignited dry material such as grass, leaves and weeds which the company negligently permitted to remain on its tracks.The fire communicated with the cranberry bogs owned by Rider located at Parkdale in Waterford Township. These were known as bogs 14 and 15 and contained seven acres of 8 year old vines, and the plaintiff wants $5000 damages.


4/21/1909

$1,750 Verdict For Cranberry Bogs

A jury in Camden County Circuit Court last evening brought in a verdict of $1,750 in favor of Andrew J. Rider in his suit against the Central Railroad of NJ. The suit was brought to recover the value of cranberry vines planted over about six and one half acres of ground near Parkdale, Waterford Township, Camden County, which vines were destroyed by fire on November 22, 1908.

The bog in which the two vines were growing was located along the railroad right of way and it was alleged at the trial that sparks from a passing locomotive ignited dry grass growing on the the right of way to the bog and consumed the vines. A novel feature of the defense was production of a miniature locomotive to show it's construction with relation to the furnace and spark-arresting devices.


The trial began on Monday morning and about twenty-five witnesses were examined, including some of the most prosperous and influential cranberry growers in New Jersey. Ex-Judge Howard Carrow and Lawyer William J. Kraft appeared fro Mr. Rider The railroad company was represented by Messrs. Gaskill and Gaskill.
 

bobpbx

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Oct 25, 2002
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Pines; Bamber area
Good one Guy.

Do you recall that after one of the big fires caused by the Navy at Warren Grove, that the sand company tried to sue for a ridiculous amount of money, saying the fire damaged the ground, causing a great loss to him?
 
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