The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-10-20
THE FIRES IN THE NORTHWEST.
Terrible Stories OF Distress and
Death in Michigan and Wisconsin.

A correspondent OF the Detroit Tn
6nne, returning from a journey to Port
Hudson, writes of the recent fires in
that locality: The woods in Huron
county have been on fire in various
places for several weeks, though little
serious danger was appreheuded until
about week ago. The timber is partly
pine, but also largely made up of differ
ent varieties of wood. Much Of the
value of pine has unquestionably been
destroyed by the fires, and the owners Of
the pine sections cannot fail to be heavy
losers. The roads through the country
are not very numerous, but several are
well worked and largely travelled, and
along these and at short distances away
from them is considerable agricultural
population who had farms partially
cleared and had houses and barns re-
Gently erected The numbering interests
are located at the various points on the
lake shore where mills existed in large
numbers before the fire, surrounded by
numerous residences, stores, etc. On the
same Sunday night on which Chicago
was burned, a strong wind commenced
to blow over Huron county, passing at
different hours in somewhat different
directions, but always tending toward the
lake at the east. Bv ten o'clock in the
evening it was blowing very hard, and
by midnight 1t was gale, rouslng the
s.umberiug fires in the forests into ire
mendous fury, and bringing destruction
upon the farms ana the lake settle
ments The warning OF imminent dan
ger was first brought TO the shore by
men, women and children fleeing from
the interior toward the lake, and the
fires shortly atterward burst on some OF
the settlements themselves. On that
night the town OF Sand Beach was to-
tally burned. The inhabitants were
driven out, and many sought refuge in
the lake, throwing the water over them
TO protect their bodies and faces from
the intense heat occasioned by the burn
ing OF great number Of buildings near
the shore. This town is almost totally
ruined, its milling interest destroyed,
and its population scattered far and
wide Ga the same night also White
Rock was entirely destroyed, a village
OF some three hundred inhabitants. At
least one person was burned to death
here, the body Of q woman, advanced
in lite, being afterwards found in one Of
the streets with the head and limbs
mostly destroyed. On the same night
ForestviIle was entirely destroyed
On Monday light the fires attacked
other settlements on the shore. Huron
City, a place of quite population and
a good business point, was completely
destroyed with the exception OF four
buildings. New River was about one
halt burned. Forest Bay was ruined
entirely. Centre Iarbor suffered the
same tate, as did also Elm Creek.
FEATURES OF TIE FIRES.
The approach Of the fires from the
woods, both on Sunday and Monday
nights, was very sudden, and left no
time for preparation on the part o! the
inhabitants, who saved absolutely no.
thing. The flames were first seen rush
inc from the forests towards the farms
and little hamlets in the interior, and
men were driven almost instantaneously
from their homes, and with their fam
lies, often half dressed, sought safety
in fight, hurrying, as a rule, towards
the lake. There is no doubt that many
of those thus seeking to escape were
overtaken 10y the fires and persisted mis-
erably. Many skeletons have already
been found in the interior, and also the
charred remains OF men, women and
children. 1t is thought by persons
from the country, that from forty to fifty
human beings were overtaken and
burned on Sunday and Monday nights.
The newly prepared farms, with their
buildings, have been generally destroy
ed, together with the clothing, furniture
and provisions Of the families, leaving
in the interior a scene of utter ruin IN
all save a few fortunate localities. The
little capital which these people had
accumulated in several years OF patient
toll. has been annihilated in q night,
and they must abandon their places or
receive such assistance as shall enable
them to resume operations again, with
the means OF living until something can
be raised from the land.
THE RESULTS on THE SHORE.
Along the lake shore and in the
small towns which have been visited
bv the fire, the loss OF human life has
been much less, though some persons
have doubtless persisted in their lmme-
diate vicinities, whose fate is as yet I'M
known to their friends. The destruc-
ton of property has, however, IN the
aggregate, been much greater than IN
the farming districts, as these towns
were considerably developed, possessed
improved buildings and had large husl'
ness interests. Many OF them have
been swept out of existence, and most
of the settlements have suffered seri-
ously. In many there is now neither
employment for the people nor prospect
Of work to do, nor are there any
habitations in which they can dwell
Both employers and employees nave
suffered terribly. The means OF the
former have been crippled, and many
do not feel able to rebuild and resume
business this year. The people are IN
great measure dependent upon these
men, and, il the towns are not reoIlIt'
they must scatter in search OF employ
ment, the greater portion b2lng utterly
without resources.
SCATTERING INCIDENTS.