The New York herald., 1871-10-13

The SuGering People from tho Western
Prairie and Forest Fires-They, too, Call
for Relief, bus How MuChs
We have from time to time, for weeks past
called the public attention to the disastrous
fires which, In the prairies and forests Of
Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and
Dakota, have destroyed millions Of property
of all descriptions and have made thousands
Of people homeless and destitute. From the
dispatches which We publish on the subject
this morning Il will be perceived that these
fires, especially in the forests of Michigan, are
still raging and burning out from house and
home hundreds of people and reducing them to
the dangers Of starvation. Such is the report
to the Secretary Of the Treasury, Of yester-
days date. from o. D. Conger, M. c., and J.
II. Sanborn, Collector of Customs at Port
Huron, on Lake Michigan. They say th at
''the people in many cases have been driven
into the lake to escape burning" and that
over three hundred of these poor people have
been picked up already and brought into Port
Huron, and they ask authority 10 use the
steamer to cruise along the lake coast ex-
pressly for the rescue and relief of other suf-
ferers as far as possible. OF course the Secre-
tary has given the order requested, and
doubtless the steamer will do vast amount
Of good in the line Of service suggested.
But this is mere drop in the buckets for,
we repeat-aud it can hardly be repeated too
often that there are hundreds of families, if
not thoucando includ;pp 1orno nur,hora of
women and children, In the States of Michi-
gan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Ne
braska, and 10 the Territory Of Dakota, who,
from comparative abundance and comfortable
homes, have been reduced by these sweeping
fires to the verge of starvation. These suffer-
ing people call for helps for, scattered about
over the prairies, in detached families, or as
solitary wanderers, and remote from the GEN.
tres and railway lines of traffic and travel,
they are in danger Of perishing before they
can reach assistance, or before assistance can
reach them. We, therefore, call upon the
local or United States officials in or near the
''burnt districts" the States and the Territory
indicated to report to the Office of the NEW
YORK HERALD the extent, as far as they know,
Of the sufferings resulting to the Inhabitants
Of their burnt districts, and their immediate
wants, SO that they, too, may share in the
benefits Of the universal spirit of charity which
this overshadowing Chicago calamity has
awakened.
We are glad to believe, from the relief pour
ing in, that there is no danger any more of
any extreme suffering from want of food or
clothing among the houseless people Of Chi
cago; but there is danger of death to many,
from starvation or exposure, Of those homeless
wandering sufferers of the prairies. But if
their sufferings are not known to any who can
help them, how are those poor wanderers to
be relieved? They must perish. The post
masters whose Offices are nearest to the
districts desolated by these prairie and
forest fires will therefore be doing
good service to their fellow citizens
by making known through the NEW YORK
HERALD (Which is at their service) the extent
of the suferings, within their knowledge or
belief, entailed upon the settlers rendered
houseless and homeless BY these desolating
forest and prairie fires.