, 1873-06-27
THE MICHIGAN FIRES.
Tho Devastation mt spur rrtnc.

Tho Devastation mt Spur Minc.
s'"' lin" h. + b<;o ynf ~. ~ Gs.e'o"e"es Of tbs
This morning The wind blew with considerable
force, md danao smoke was observed nboYo
tho troos about milo md half to tho wcst Of
uB. The wind was Bonth OF wont, and noithor
Cart. Morrison and DR.. L. II. Cobb, In ohargc Of
mnteors nt tue mino, approhondod, my dangeer.
fro approached and como down npon tho ad]oin-
Ing section twonty-thrco, but still boaring to tho
north.
A force Of mon wcre sot at work who fought
new house, and stopped its sproading towards
tho dump. Tho fro WINS thon on both sides Of
uB. Tho fro at tho east Bproad worry rapidly and
burned directly Sgainss the Wind = crossed
agon Tlnilroad, and burned all Tho wood drawn
otit and piled MP along tho limo, aid tho atanl-
Ing timbor and brlsh to tho eaHt Of the louacs
in tho settlement, as elem % Ns tho palm Of ono's
boforo II roacled tho 1,o,,aos aud we Bu),-
posed tl,at all WAS aafo. At q o'cloo]s
we heard Of the iato Of Michigammi and COLI
eeooae n tho Hn as Ioops e arrival
Of the trim from LAnso, tho wind frcalenol,
and tho fro section twenty-three tncrenBod in
magnitude and camc down. on ls with tcrriblo
velocity: At lilo namo time the wind veorea
around to west southwest and soon envoloped
the woods behind tho blacksmith nllop, md tho
blacksmith Hl,op itself In tlalnos. Tho heat was
go intonBo that tho Pile Of wood upon the dump
in front Of the dock caught fro, ,1,,i and
wonderful rapidity tho fro advanced oyer
tho ground, catching at everything combuBtiblo
clean around to The wood-pilo by an iee.ilouae ln
from it tho barn Of tho mining company caught.
Tho Wind kept increasing IN violence, and tho
heat became 80 intense TINT tho people living IN
tho row Of houses nest adjacent lid no tnq 70 70
Gra acomai1 70 divide lust above tho powder
house Of tic Spur Mountain Mining Company,
which contained l5o kegs Of powder used IN
blasting Teess @ two eefS9i e7orhue o. III 'o o pse. se
tlomont. Tho buildings lost arc tho black
smith shop, two barns, o franc dwelling,
and n row Of log houses, Jowelrs house.
Dodge i Willett's ehnntios,, n1,a La orosso,s
shed and ice-house wero savod, but by unwoaried
o1ortions. The powder house, by miraclo, did
not burn. Mon stood by It until tho last md wot
It down. It was only when the danger waa SO
irnminont that to hayo remained longer would
have involved needless sacrifice, DR.. J.. II.
Cobb and his assistants left tho perilous spot.
Both the oro-dockB alo snvod All tho women
and children nro IN tho now quarters. All tho
rooms arc full, tho floors nrc covered, and at this
and fatiguos Of tho day. Tho ol1co Of tho
mining company, is full Of mon lying as
compactly on the noors as possible. Two carts
ments stored in tho barns werc burned, but
Gle horses wore saved. DR.. Cobb said he had
boon fremnn MI his life, but this days work
exceeds nll hia formor, experience Tho ore
train came up, hall an hour behind ti1no, mud
wont through tho smoke toward hfiohigamm.
Progress, however, waa found to bo 80 difficult
TINT IL soon came back and tho cars wero loft
upon the Spur mine sde-track. Tho onglno was
detached and 1t wont forward alone to Michigam-
mi. At II o'clock tonight 1t camo back from
Marquette ladon with provisions, hay, blank
cts, cooking stove, etc. by chance among tho
freight loft from L'Anso was n barrel, Of bread,
and with the holp Of como driod beef, bnttor,
and coffeo tho wholo party Of housolesB and dos
titute people were sufficiently fod. number
Of tue miners took tho train and left for LAuso,
but the largo majority Of them remained. Lunl-
bor has been promised and will soon bo nt hand,
aud until 1t comea those who nro here will have
to submit to crowded quarters.
There ia nothing left Of Alfchigammi but
the saw-mill, tho atoro housos, aud tho de-
pot. In fact, everything from tho .wost end
to the lake WAS wipod out. Everything on the
train from L'Anso tonight WAS narked "Spurr
hIine." but DR.. Cobb causod division to be
made and part Of tho provelons sont to Michi-
gammi, not knowing but that they wore suffer-
ing for food. The whole Of tho population
Ia quartered In tho saw-mil1.
Tho machinery Of the spurr mipo will anffer
bnt little interruption from tho disnstor. Slip
nents Of orc continue to bo made. As rapidly
N possible comfortable quarters will be pro-
vidod, and nll will RESUME its former course.