The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-09-24 00:00:00

THE FOREST FIRES IN MICHIGAN.

The recent forest fires in North America, to judge
by the full accounts which have come to hand, appeax
to have been accompanied by an appalling loss of life
and property. Several entire townships have been
burnt out, and whole settlements have been destroyed.
The forests in which the fires have raged consist
chiefly of hemlock, fir and pine, and there is an under-
growth which in dry seasons becomes perfect tinder.
This inflammable mass burns as furious as oil, and
fires spread with great velocity.
An eye-witness, describing the appearances before
the fire, says that darkness and heavy copper-colour
sky were observed. Later the sky changed to a deep
red, and it became so dark that lanterns were required
to show the way. This state of affairs continued from
Monday, the sth to Wednesday the 7th, when the
wind shifted from west to north, cooling the air and
bringing relief.

The same eye-witness says, "it is almost impossible
to describe the ravages the fire has made. I tra-
velled miles where every farmer is burnt out. I
went four miles on one road, and every building and
fence, and almost every head of stock, is destroyed.
On this road there have been fifteen lives lost. I met
one team and waggon on this road, containing three
rough board boxes with eight corpses enclosed. The
man who was walking along behind the waggon was
the only mourner. He was following his wife and five
children to the grave, they having been burnt to
death. A little further along another woman and five
children were found in the middle of the road dead.
Nothing but the barren waste was to be seen, with
dead cattle, hogs, sheep, and chickens. At one place
where I called, a bear had taken refuge under the
house and was burnt along with the building."
In Cass City nearly every one is burnt out, the
entire contents of their buildings are lost and very
few had their property insured. It was reported in
Cass City that only one house had escaped the fire
for eight miles around. Families were coming in
every few minutes with all they had of their worldly
possessions on their backs.

A despatch from Marlette, Sanilac county, reports
that 115 families have been burnt out, at the lowest
estimate, in the towns of Marlette, Flynn, Argyle,
Evergreen Mop; Lamotte, and Elmer, and 32 persons
are known to be dead.

Men who travelled through the burnt district imme-
diately after the fire found the inhabitants sitting
on the ashes of their burnt houses, many of them with
their eyes burnt out and otherwise horribly injured.
They were almost bereft of their senses. Provisions,
clothing, bedding, and other necessaries were being
constantly forwarded. Many persons were still miss-
ing in burnt districts, and the exact loss could not oe
known for some days.
The following reports had been received as to the
number of burials in the undermentioned places :
Paris Township, 29; Austin, 16; Mindow, 3; Bing-
ham, 9; Delawale, 8; Argyle, 1. It is said that 27
dead bodies have been found in the country between
Bad Axe and Port Hope. Some reports of the num-
ber of dead are doubtless exaggerated, but the total
will probably reach nearly 200. _ _

Trains are now running regularly cn the Port
Huron and North-Western Railway to Sand Beach
and Mariette.

In Sanilac county 45 dead bodies have been found
near Paris, and many more persons were missing.
The dead were nearly all Poles. North of Richmond-
ville and at that place 38 families were known to be
burnt out, and at least 60 other farms were believed
to have been devastated, while the shore was lined
with refugees. Many of them were so panic-stricken
and hard-up that they took the boats for Port Huron
or Detroit without a thought of going back to see what
was left of their farms.

On Haughton Creek as a settlement of a dozen
families. The fire struck them about 3 p.m. Build-
ing after building was destroyed, and the people
realized that they were surrounded by fire, and escape
was cut off. The situation was a frightful one, and
place after place of apparent safety was occupied and
vacated, as the flames approached, until as a last resort
eighteen persons descended a well. Here they sat for
four hours long, on 3 standing at the bottom and throw.
ing water on the others to overcome the effects of the
heat. About nine o'clock, the fire having spent its
force, the occupants of the well emerged from their
place of refuge, only to find that their property and
houses had been completely destroyed.
ifty persons were burnt to death between Vermon
and Sand Beach.

At Tyre 17 bodies of men, women, and children
were found lying in a field; at Cato a widow and five
children took refuge in a well and were suffocated.
Twenty-three dead bodies were found along the roads
by which they had been endeavouring to escape when
overtaken by the flames. Many women were seen
fleeing barefooted and in their nightdresses, and dozens
of half-naked and half-crazed people sought shelter in
the towns. A mail driver, named Humphry, finding
himself encompassed and in peril, wrote the fact on a
cart and started his horse towards Marlett. His
dead body was afterwards found on the road, his
clothes being all burnt off. An Indian settlement
occupied by 30 families were reported to be destroyed
with the loss of numerous lives. In the woods were
many scorched and charred bodies, which presented a
revolting appearance. The high wind that prevailed cut
off nearly every avenue of escape, and large burning
masses were lifted up bodily and borne along for a
great distance. In many instances these burning
masses started fresh fires. One farmer was ploughing
in the fields, when he perceived the approaching dark-
ness, and started for his house. On reaching home
he found his wife had gone to visit a neighbour. He
then took two of his children and his eldest daughter,
and three others followed. Before going far they
found themselves cut off by the flames. The farmer
then turned in another direction, and barely escaped
with two of his children. His daughter and the other
three children were the next day found in a heap
charred beyond recognition.
The fire swept like a hurricane, destroying every-
thing in its path. The navigation of Lake Huron was
interrupted in consequence of the dense clouds of
smoke that obscured the horizon. The shore line was
crowded with human beings, cattle, and everything
that could get to the water. The utmost confusion
prevailed. One man who had lost everything, was
both blind and crazy, and had to be led to the lake.