Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-10-20
The Fires of Michigan and Wiscon-
Gin

The following judicous review by the Cincin-
natl Gazette Of the great calamity which has fall
len on our more Northern States, will give clear
conception OF the terrible consequences Of the
fire fend:
"There can be no doubt but the suffering in
Michigan and Wisconsin, to-day, is greater than
in Chicago. AS more detailed accounts Of the
extended fires come 10 hand, former estimates Of
losses have to be revised, and the destiution and
suffering to be stated in stronger form. II is not
simply a few scattered houses that have been
burnt, not only home here and there that bas
been burnt up, but whole towns where we're sit
uated great manufactures, and stretches of tim
Der land that can only be counted by miles. The
pecunary loss in the instance Of some establish
ments raa up into the hundreds Of thousands.
In other cases it has only amounted to thousands
but the loss OF thousands means. to most OF the
sufferers me loss Ofeverything. The poor peo-
ple are absolutely destitute, in want of the com
monest necessities of life. Food and clothing
they must have, and have it at once, if the
lives are to be saved.
That the frightful condition of affairs may be
o" Sv"iS6s 9 o. Srcounk q these nres Gnss came
to us by mail on Saturday and yesterday.
Manistee is town in Michigan, situated on
Lake Michigan. Itsontains several importan
saw mills and numbering establishments, and
was the center Of trade for a large territory
Sunday night the wood fires were driven through
It by furious gale, and by Monday night al
most the entire town had been destroyed. The
Manistee Times places the loss at 81 ,3O0, 900
and says this is a moderate estimate. On this
there is an insurance of only $3.50, 900. The
number Of people burned out of home Is not less
than eighteen hundred. The stock of provisions
remaining 10 the town on the 18th was enough
to last but three days. Let il be remembered
thatthe country round Manistee, on which the
place depended for its supplies, has been more
pitessly devastated, than it could have been
had an army ravaged it, aud the condition of the
town may be family conceiYed. Manistee is one
of the towns that calls for aid.
| Holland Is ia the western part of the State,
northwest of Grand Rapids. 1t contained 5000
inhabitants. Sunday the same gale that droye
the flames through Chicago and Manistee swept
fire through Holland. Two-thirds of the pri-
vate residences were destroyed, and all but
half dozen business houses. The Grand
Rapids Eagle says that between four and FIVE
hundred families are homeless. Help of every
kind is needed. They have no lumber and no
money to build again, and many are destitute of
clothing. They keep up brave hearts, and say
they only want assistance and their insurance to
build up their place.
Saugatuck is some miles southwest of Hol
land, and all the country between the two towns
houses, barns, crops-all has been destroyed.
There is need of everything that is being con
tributed to Chicago.
We say nothing Of the fires in Central Michi.
gan. nothing of the widespread desoation the
fires have caused in all this immense region
uses have been burned, and there are women
and children there who are needing food. But
because they are few, and the distress not so ex-
tensiVe as in other parts Of the State, We make
no special mention Of them.
Port Huron is in Huron County, on the shores
of Lake Huron. Sanlac County is Immediately
south. These two counties have population o.
about $4,000. Ofthese, it is belieYed 10, 900 are
homeless. The refugees have been aocking iuto
Port Huron until that little village is overrun,
and it has been compelled to call upon other
towns for assistance. From a gentleman Of this
city, who LEFT Saginaw last Wednesday, we
learn that the accounts in these papers from
which we are quoting haYe not been in the least
exaggerated. The distress that is prevailing is
beyond all measure and conception. Everything
is needed that makes life supportable.
The great fires that have been desolating
Wisconsin burst into PeshtiGO on the same Sun.
day. The town was situated on the Peshtigo
river, which emptes into Green bay. The
great Peshtgo pail and tub manu- factory, which
was the principal establishment of the town,
was burned to the ground. Fifteen hundred
persons we're turned out Of home and employ
ment. The loss Is estimsted at not less than
FIVE million dollars. How many lives were lost
no one can tell. but probably not less than
eight hundred.
From Wisconsin and Michigan there comes a
great cry Tor help. The need is at least as great
as in Chicago, and to reiye the suffering little
has been done. II thousands are not to die Of
absolute starvation or from the cold, aid mnst
be rendered. And this aid must be continued
through weeks and months. There is demand
on the American people for vast aud organized
charity. The benevolence that is to be done
must be OF no spasmodic nature. II must be sys-
lematic, continued, large, and speedy. Il should
be begun to-day. will not Cincinnati start i, r.
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