The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1871-10-27

" ulto ~ NcebfpNN Ntle iuEkVF SlticN ~
spares not the smaller towns Sweeping
through the immense pine forests Of
Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota
carrying away everything before il. The
little town of Peshtigo. Michigan, built
up from the numbering resources of the
vicinity and one of the most thriving OF
the numbering towns in the Green Bay
District has been swept away entirely
One of the mills of this place, owned by
tho Ogden Company of Chicago was
capable of saving u quarter Of million
feet of lumber day. and other mills were
Of large capacity. All have been burned.
IL is estimated That over three hundred
lives have been lost by these fires in the
woods, and the amount Of suffering en-
tailed npon poor people who have lost
their all and are now in desert from
which they cannot escape, is frightful
The hand of charity should be opened To
them at once. Hundreds aud thousands
OF poor people are now in danger of
actual starvation in the lumber regions
of the Northwest
The news from ~. Clair and Huron
counties, Michigan, is of the most dis
tressing character All that portion of
the State east of Saginaw Bay and north
of point forty miles above Port Huron
has been completely swept by fire. A
number of persons perished, and il is
feared We have not heard the worst. The
hourishing villages of Forestyille, White
Rock, Elm Greek, Sand Beach, and Huron
City, are entirely destroyed.
A steamer which left Port Huron for
relief of the sufferers, returned with
about torty men, women, and children,
five of whom are severely burned. The
revenue cutter FsSSrRalaa, which started
for Port Austria, picked mp sail boat
ON Lake Huron containing Isaac Green,
principal owner Of ForeStville, together
with his family and eighteen or twenty
Others, who had escaped the flames at
ForeStville
The telegraph operator al Forestville
escaped through the fire back into the
country. All the telegraph offices along
the shore have been DESTROYED.
Five children are known 10 have per
ished near Rock Falls. r. b. Hubbard,
al Huron City, shot all his fine horses
and cattle 10 prevent their perishing by
fire. He loses very heavily, having had
a large store, mills, docks, &c.
AT Holland. Ottawa County. the east
shore of Lake Michigan, the flames made
a clean sweep, scarcely building being
left.
Professor Charles Scott, of Hope Col
lege, perished ; also q minister, whose
name was not ascertained
A dispatch received from Green Bay,
Wis, stated that steamer had arrived
bringing a report that 325 bodies were
buried at Peshtigo, and as many more
were missing. Seventy-five persons
were burned 10 death nd Little Sturgeon
Bay, and the suffering thrOught the
night was terrible. With the exception
Of the destruction of property, the
calamity is mo.e appalling than the
burning Of Chicago.
Further accounts OF the terrible cal
amity have been received One hum
dred and fifty men were burned TO death
in large barn at Peshtigo, ia which
they had taken refuge. Hundreds Of
people were driven by the flames into
the river, where most OF them persisted.
A later dispatch from Green Bay SAYS,
a fire broke ont in the Belgian settle
meut of Brussels, in Door County, Wis
consin, destroying $50 houses-all the
place contained, except five. Nine per
sons are missing. 1t is supposed they
perished in the flames. The inhabitants
lost everything. Active measures for
their relief are being taken from Duluth
and other places, but before assistance
can reach them they must suffer severely.
A fire broke out in the town Of Man
istee Mich, and ragged all night destroy
ing roc buildings, sax large mills, and
vessel lying at the dock. Half OF the
entire town is burned. The losses is es-
timated at II, 800, 600.
A Mr.. Brady of Detroit. who was in
the village OF White Rock, Huron Conn
", where ii was burned, says that. after
vainly striving to keep the fire out Of the
town, the inhabitants. hastily gathering
the few valnables that came nearest 10
hand, fled to the most open places. away
from the houses, and, driven from these,
rushed into the water itself, and even
here were not safe from the scorching
effects of the heated air without OCCASION I
al plung.s beneath the surface or frequent
washings in the surf Mr.. Brady was in [
the water eight hours. lying part of the
time on log, over which yile light surf
dashed. About him were men up 10 !
their waist in water. and holding chill [
dren in their arms. women but poorly
protected by their clothing from the chill
Of the water, which was their only secur-
ity against the burning heat Of the air. |
The inhabitants, Of course, saved almost
Not only were their houses,
fences, barns and stocks DESTROYED, but
their furniture and clothing, and even
the deeds by which they hold their lands, /
and their insurance papers. From their
painful position IN the water they were
by the subsistence Of the fires, /
but there was neither food nor shelter |
within miles, and for many OF them /
naught bnt beggary apparently remained |
when shelter should be found. The fire |
at White Rock occurred Sunday night /
and il was not until Monday afternoon /
that the sufferers we're taken of the shore /
by the steamer Huron, which took them I
ON board, and, coming down the shore, |
released from similar straits Others who |
had lived in Forestvillc and Cato, which I
Sowns were also burned Sunday night. |
The steamer, after taking on board rs
many as she could carry, left many for 1
second trip. The sufferers we're cared 1
for by the citizens of Port Huron, and 1
the steamer went back for another load. /
Beside the towns named it is supposed
that Center Harbor and many other
smaller villages were destroyed. and il !
Is feared that the loss of life has been /
The pecuniary loss at |
White Rock is more tkan $3.50, 900 that |
At Forestyille is still greater.
Tehn Envw vi Wrhrnun