Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-10-18
CONGREGATIONS IN THE GREEN
BAY WOODS.
Interesting Details of the Progress


the Fires.
From the Green Bay Advocate.
Last week we gave a long array of
accounts of the fires which are devas-
tating these northern counties. 1t
seemed then that the devouring ele-
ment had spent itself for the very want
of more surface to burn over; but the
week which closes as we go to press
has been largely more disastrous ev-
erywhere Mills, houses, barns, hay,
and all kinds of property are swallowed
up by the advancing flames. Families
by the hundreds are driven away from
their burning homesteads, and
make the best of their way, with their
cattle and what household stock they
can carry off, to the nearest places OF
safety. The long drouth leaves timber
and soil dry as@inder, and the fire al
most devours the ground itself. The
creeks, wells and springs are dried up,
leaving nothing with which to stay the
progress of the flames but the slow
digging of ditches--which offer very
little obstruction, as the cinders are
carried long distances in the wind
The crops left in the ground, such as
potatoes, turnips, &C., are all destroy
ed /; and the destruction of hay, cord.
wood and other outstanding property
is immense.
The present drouth is almost unpar-
alleled in the history of this country
Since the 9Th of July last, when we had
a heavy shower in the night, rain has
fallen but once (the night of Sept. 5th),
in sufficient quantity to lay the dust
We have been three months almost
without rain.
What will be the result in the stand
ing pine IN adjacent counties, cannot
yet be ascertained. No access to the
forests can yet be attempted, and moth
ing can be estimated except from the
| effects of the fire near the settlements,
where it penetrates the parched ground
from one to two feet, and destroys the
| life of the trees.
From the westward, we hear that the
| fire extends to Keshena and and the
Wolf River. At Powells's place, half
way between here and Shawano, the
hay and fences were being burned
| Some narrow escapes are related OF
travellers on the Military Road. The
stage driver between here and ShawanC
reports the fire on the line of the road
as having spent itself. One bridge and
considerable corduroy are burned.
There is yet great danger in travelling,
on account of the falling burning trees.
| At Shawano and for several miles or
this side, an hours rain on Sunday
night did much good in staying the pro
press of the fire.
Between here and Duck Greek con.
siderable hay and miles of fences are
burned.
Families are deserving their farm
houses in the woods between Ft. How
ard and Depere, and moving into town
for safety-leaving their property I'M
protected, as they can no longer endure
the dense smoke which envelopes the
country.
We learn from clerk Lannigan, of the
Saginaw, that the fires are very severe
in the woods around Escanaba and Ford
River and are increasing.
A extra from the Lumberman gives
particulars of the fire in that neigh
b rhood Sunday was day of wild
excitement Two or three farmhouses
at Stiles are burned. Little River
shared in the general loss. James
Lucas lost his hay and grain, James
A. Glynn lost his logging camp, besides
sleds and camp equipage.
South of the Oconto, J. Dodge, w,
0. Dodge, Henry Delano and Mr..
Gardner, had given up the battle
against the fire and left their homes.
Their houses are probably burned
Percy's farm, north of the river is q
sheet of flame Other farms have
shared the same fate and Comstock &
Simpsons mill is threatened.
! At Peshtigo the houses of Chas. Bar
tells, B. A. B. Berner and Mr. Albright
and barn of the latter are reported
/ burned
A team of horses and an Indian were
burned to death near Oconto on Mon
day.
From the Fond du Lac Daily.
| The Eldorado Marsh is burning anC
fires IN Oakfeld and other places are
contributing to the great volume o
smoke that is filling the country fol
miles in every direction. No grea
damage has resulted so far from tht
fires in this vicinity, but as they arr
spreading and increasing very fast it il
!
THE MINNESOTA FIRES.
The prairies in the western part o
Minnesota, to the south and southwes
of Breckenridge, the terminus of the
! st. Paul and Pacific Railroad, took fire
on Thursday last, and, a high vino
prevailing at the time, it spread will
such rapidity that on Saturday there was
line of fire sweeping to the north ano
northwest from the Red river to Sail
Lake, distance of 100 miles, carrying
everything before it. It crossed the
railroad track on Saturday night and
Sunday, burning the ties of the road
for many miles, and at the last accounts
was still sweeping northward. The
store of De Graft & Co., contractors,
at the end of the track, is known to be
burned, with all its contents, and also
from 5000 to 6, 900 cords of wood in the
same vicinity, belonging to the compa.
ny.
De Graft & Co.'S. loss is $4,000 A
Swede, (name unknown) who lived
within Is miles of Wilmar, lost every
thing he had in the world, including a
team of horses, yoke of oxen, three
cows, grain, farming implements, &c.
He and his family had narrow escape
with their lives. Henry eager, of ST.
Cloud was returning from Fort Aber-
crombie with his fine horses. The
flames overlook him, and seeing his
only safety lay in facing them, he head
ed his horses for the wall of fire, and
dashed through, burning his overcoat
from his back, and injuring his horses
to sucn an extent that they are almost
worthless. A mile or two behind Mr..
eager was man driving a flock of
some $50 sheep. Neither man nol
sheep had been heard from at last &C
counts.
Large amounts of grain, hay, fences
etc., have been destroyed in the imme
diate neighborhood of where the fire
crossed the track
ST. PAUL, Mimi, Oct. 6.-The great
prairie fire is still raging with unabated
fury, although a slight rain yesterday
stayed It's progress little. The course
of the fire is southeast, and up to- last
accounts it had reached nearly as fal
south as the Iowa border, and eastward