Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-11-04

Oyer-The State . Vast 1inder.B0x-
Household Goods Thrown I'm the
Wells and Burned even There.
fCorrespondence of the n. Y. SUM-
DETROIT, Oct. 2s.-As the details of losses and
suffering come in we begin TO get q true picture
OF the rayages OF the fires in Michigan. Imagine
to Twenty-Five miles in breadth, covered with
cultivated farms and interspersed with groves of
standing timber, on the whole tract at least q
dozen villages, ranging in population from 100 to
manufactured pine, extensive salt works, and all
the industries which in this busy Western
country spring up 50 rapidly in the midst OF q
prosperous agricultural and manufacturing dis
trict-imagine this tract, thus covered with VIII
lagos, mills, manufactures, farm houses, barns,
crops, &c, supporting population of 5000 to
6OOO, swept bare in single night of every yes
uge OF civilization, and one may form some idea
Of the calamity.
THE EXTENT OF THE FIRE.
Along the Lake Huron shore, from Rock Falls
to Point-Aux Barques, a distance of forty miles,
and back from the shore twenty miles, not a
single dwelling remains. The cultivated land
is swept of everything combustible; the forests
are burned, and the trunks Of the trees lie one
upon another in confused heaps on the ground.
The lumber camps further back in the woods
are entirely destroyed, and lumbermen will be
required to begin anew. Much of the fallen
timber can be saved and worked up into boards
II it is got to the mills this winter. But the roads
are blocked by the fallen trees to such an extent
as to render the task Of clearing them long and
difficult one.
In the township of Paris was large settle
ment of Polanders, called Cracow. These people
had dug outs, or stOre-houses, built two-thirds
under ground and covered with earth. In these
them took refuge and saved their lives. In an
other part Of the settlement seventy persons
TOOK REFUGE IN DITCH,
and covered their heads with blankets, which
they kept wet while the flames rolled over them.
Many OF these people, before they fled from their
houses, packed their goods and threw them into
their wells, but they were burned even there,
the wells being almost entirely destitute of
water. The wooden curbs of the wells burned
in some instances, to a depth Of twenty feet.
Several families have been missing since the
ire, and though dilligent search has been made,
no trace of them can be found. Perhaps they
may yet come to light in some such strange way
as did the children of William Mann Of Rock
Falls. MI. Mann lived several miles from the
rapidly approaching his dwelling, he hurried
his five young children from the house and sent
them to the shore, while he and his wife remained
behind to save what they could. But at length
the parents were driven out by the fire and
arrived at the lake shore, the children were
nowhere to be found. Search was made, but no
trace could be obtained, and the missing little
ones were given up as lost. But to-day they
were restored to the arms OF their mother
Need attempt to describe her Joy.
THE STORY OF THE LOST CHILDREN
is that when they reached the lake shore, a man,
wife and four children came along in a sail boat,
and seeing the children frightened and unpro-
tected, took them into the boat, intending to sail
along the shore, and land as soon as the fire
would permit them to do so. But the wind was
fierce from the southwest, and they were drifted
out into the lake. The rudder was carried away
and the boat became unmanageable, drifting
before the wind i'm the widest and most danger
Gus part of Lake Huron. After three days of
Intense suffering, and without having tasted a
mouthful of food, they drifted upon the Canada
shore. 100 miles from where they started, and
were kindly cared for by the inhabitants.
During this voyage the wind blew fearfully,
and the waves rolled over the boat, keeping the
inmates continually wet to the skin and obliping
the m to bail without intermissiOn with an old
boot and shoe, the only articles they had for the
purpose, to keep their craft afioat One of the
exposure and hunger.
THE PRESENT DANGER.
There is a nervous dread of fire among the
whole people. The drouth is unprecedented.
Everything Is dry as finder. Not drop of rain
has fallen in Michigan since the 10th inst and
the fires are still burning in the woods every-
where. Another tornado would be a tornado of
fire, and repeat in a hundred places in the State
the terrible scenes of ten days ago. The gravest
apprehensions are felt and the widest rumors
are afioat respecting burned or burning towns
Hundreds OF farm buildings have been DESTROYED
within the past twenty-four hours, miles of
fences leveled, and immense quantities of hay
grain, and other valuable crops burned up
But, although several towns are threatened, the
inhabitants have successfully fought the fire
demon thus far. The report from Grand Rapids
is that there are
EXTENSIVE FIRES IN THE WOODS
and marshes, but the outskirts of the city are
not considered in immediate danger. The peo-
pie are exceedingly anxious and watchful.
From Bay City comes the report that the
woods are on fire in all directions, it having
broken out apparently with renewed vigor. The
smoke Is so dense as to obscure the sun at noon
day, and to be almost sufocating to the lungs
and fatal to the eyes. The wild animals of the
forest are fleeing into the open fields some of
them scorched and wounded by the fires 80 that
they are dying. The deer, which are numerous
In the pine forests, come into the fields for food
some with their feet burned off, and otherwise
crippled and burned.
DREApING ANOTHER COMMUNICATION.
A gale, such as that of the night OF the 18th,
would create a panic throughout the whole
state. Everybody is nervous and apprehensive.
On Sunday evening last, while the inhabitants
OF Port Huron were worshiping in their churches,
and the preachers were discussing upon the
theme which is uppermOst in the minds of all
depicting the horrors of the fre-tornado which
swept whole communities out of existence the
bell of the United States steamer Fessenden,
y ing in the river, struck the hour. 1t was mis-
taken Tor hre-alarm, and almost instantly the
churches were emptied and the people were
fleeing to their homes.
In Howell, Livingston county, however, they
were called out of the churches by q gem
uine fire alarm. The fire had reached the out
skirts OF the town, village of 1000 inhabitants
and was steadily gaining ground In spite of ali
dwellings, &c, were destroyed. By hard work
il was kept out OF the town, but the people fear
that it may break out afresh, and thew hardly
know in which direction to look for its coming
AT Portsmouth, fires are burning in close
proximity to the town. On Sunday afternoon
the wind
STARTED UP sMOULDEEING FIRES,
and they spread with great rapidity. The GEM
etery of the town was burned over, fences and
shTubbery were utterly destroyed, and many
fine monuments were ruined. In the same re-
giOn fires are raging at the present time. The
reports are that the prairie around the mouth of
the Sag aiming river is one sheet OF flame. The
mills there are in danger.
The damage by ire TO dwellings, barns. farms,
crops, &c, in Berrien county will not fall short
OF S1e0 900, and this county has suffered as little
from fire as any in the State. The farmers in
the county are all able to stand their losses
Though they will fall heavily upon some. The
confiagratiOn there has not been general.
In coldwater city, on Wednesday night num-
Der OF buildings were burned, including the
Seatinel Office. The loss is principally covered
by insurance. The report from Manchester
Washtenaw county, says that great fires are
raging in the woods north OF the town, and the
farmers are fighting them. The atmosphere is
dark with smoke in all parts OF the State.
THE BLESSED RAIN.
On the 26th a slight shower passed over some
portions of the State, but the fall of rain was
barely sufficient to dampen the withered leaves
and grass. The shower was succeeded by a
change in the direction OF the wind, and great
increase in its force. On Thursday night it
Id