The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-10-05
GREAT CONFEDERATION.
Unparalleled Devastation in the
Northwest.
Three Thousand Square Miles of
Country Burned Over.
WHOLE FORESTS DESTROYED.
MILwAUKEE, October 4

NetS today, from Green Bay, says thu
fires which have been raging In the wood
between there and Lake Michigan have
extended across Fox river, and cover q
strip Of thirty miles wide in Shawana and
OcontO counties and the big numbering
towns of Marietta and Peshley, which
are threatened with total destruction,
The fires are now raging over three thou.
sand square miles Of territory, One hum
dred families were burned out OF house
and home and the refugees are in Green
Bay and other towns, At least one hun
dred other families arc in an equally bad
condition. Houses, barns, farm buildings,
bridges, fences, and absolutely everything
has been swept away, and thousands Of
square miles of valuable pine forests have
been destroyed. Bears and other wild
beasts have been driven in dismay from
the woods and are fleeing in every direc.
ton across the fields Almost the entire
population are fighting the fires of without
success, Rpd many have fallen down suf.
located by the heat and smoke, and were
carried by their comrades to places of
safety. All supplies of food, for man and
and beasts, throughout at least fifty town
ships have been destroyed, and Sarya.
ton stares them in the face,
GREENBAY, Wis, Oct. 4.
The fires which are now prevailing in
the six or seven northeastern counties OF
Wisconsin, have never had parallel
since the settlement of the country. The
drought which las prevailed since early
in August, has dried up the springs, and
streams, and vegetation and has parChed
the ground to such depth below the sur.
face that the soil itself acts asa conduct.
or, and living trees arc falling from the
action Ofthc fire, which underllnes them.
All outstanding property Is swept away,
there being SO little water available
to stop the fires. Barns and contents,
hay stacks, corn, wood and other prop
Crty, together with hundreds Of miles Of
fences are burned, Ns no resistance can
be offered TO the approaching fires. There
Is yet no authentic account of the loss OF
life, although family in Kemanel county
and some Indians in SwhawnCe county
are reported burned. The hardest fights
against the flames are made ut many saw
mills, which arc located among the pine
forests in this region, but many of them
have been burned All the available
force which could be obtained from the
adjacent places. has been called to the
assistance Of tho threatened mills and
settlements in some cases was available
and others not. The work has been so
long and harrassing, and the men so tired |
with the smoke, and fatigue, that In a
great many places tho contest has been
given up. In places where there was no
water the only available plan has been to
dig trenches around the property, but
the Eastern wind carries large flames Of
burning bark through the air, and renders
such means useless. n s,. ssss, t....i,sl, .,i.1
The Advocate Of today has accodnts Of
the fire in the counties of Brown, Kc.
vance, Deer, Osceola, ontagamer, Matol.
lOc md Shawnee. 1t estimates that an
area OI 100 square miles Are being burned |
over Three saw mills are definitely
known to be burned, and,others are said |
to be burned, but the reports need con-
llrmation. In Kewanee county from sixty
to eighty dwelling houses andbarhs have
been burned, and the Inhabitants arc
fleeing to the lake shore Tor safety. At
Horns Pier, store, with goods, six dwell.
ings, shops and barns with other build
ings, were burned, and it Is sall that the |
inhabitants saved themselves by fleeing
to the piers and taking up the planks
communicating with the shore Of the two
rivers and two creeks. Ahanpo and
Kewanee, with other villages, have been
more or less damaged. In Deer county,
The next north, great quantities Of cord |
wood, railroad ties, telegraph poles and
other property, got out for shipment,
have been burned in addition to tho losses,
and barns, fences, NC, on the west side of
Green Bay and Fox river. The flames
extend from Memonec to Oshkosh, dis.
lance Of 100 miles in length, and 30 In |
breadth. This region is one of alternate
pine and hard wood timber, and is thickly
settled with milling and farming settlers.
Lay stacks, fences, and bridges on the
roads, are mostly gone In some cases
large lots Of pine logs in dried up streams,
were burned. Very little travel Is practi-
caOIe and ii Is with difficulty that def
ni'eparticulors can be obtained Along
the line of the e. " N. w. r., r., the Are
extends close up TO the track on either
side Tor many miles. Between DepDre
and Appleton, 1t is threatening the bridges
and culverts, burning fences and cord
wood, and requiring the closest vigilance
in averting it from the road. Along the
extension Of the same road u new build.
ing northward, with considerable
amount Of ties and all its contents, has
been burned Deer and bears come out
on the railroad aud wagon roads, and
couldbc shot, but nobody has the time to
devote. On the line Of the Green & Lake
Pepin railroad grade, q hall mile orcordu.
roy snbstmcture, with three thousand ties,
and onehundred cords of wood, belonging
to the road, were burned, besides proper.
ty OF much greater value, belonging
to farmers All the bridges on
line OF tue Manitowac road fortwenty
miles east of Green Bay nre consumed
older's circus passed over them only a
lew hours previous on its way to AIanito.