The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-09-10
AND ASHES
FIELDS OF DEATH AND DEsoLATloN
In the Burnt Districts Of RIrs-SWept
Miehigan-Hundreds Of People sit
ting AbOut the Ashes Of Their
Homes, Hungry and In Need.

DETROIT, AICH., September "Details
continue to come in relative to the destruc.
tion by the forest fires in Huron and Sanill.
ac counties, the. principal theatre of the
greatest destruction and suffering. An
eye witness states that preceding tie
approach OF the fire was darkness and
copper colored appearance Of the sky. La
ter it changed to deep red and by the
middle ofMonday afternoon II was so dark
that lanterns were necessary in order that
the people might find their way out CT
doors. This condition OF affairs continued
until about eight o'clock Wednesday
morning, when the wind shifted from tie
west to the north, which cooled the air
and brought slight relief. In the woods
were many dead OF every age, and present.
ing
THE REvoLTING APPEARANCE
OF bodies, which arr scorched and charred
by fire. The high winds that prevailed
cut OFT nearly every yavenue Of escape, and
large burningmasses would be bodily lifted
up and borne great distance, and many
instances start fires in fresh places The
skill and courage OF man seemed impotent
to combat such flames, and the fleeing
people were caught in fire traps and roast
ed, as was their live stock One farmer,
who was plOwing with his oxen few miles
from sand beach, perceived the approach.
ing darkness and started for his home.
On reaching there he found that his wife
had gone to neighbon. He took two
children and gave three Others into the
charge OF his eldest daughter Before
travelling many rods they found themselves
cut Oft by the flames. lilo turned In an.
other direction and escaped with the two
children. The three children md daughter
were found next day all in heap, charred
beyond all recognition. UptO Wednesday
night forty.flve bodies have been found
within II mile in the township OF Paris, and
many more are missing. They are nearly
oil Poles.
WHOLE SETTLEMENT SWEET AWAY.
Tho whole settlement Is swept clear OF
buildings, crops and fences in Delaware
township. All the country south Of Forest.
vile, from the lAke, for seven miles back,
there Is hardly anything left, not one house
to the square mile. They were all new
settlers and Ind small clearings. The fires
swept them like a hurricane. They lose
all they had and owe for their places.
Many OF them fed to the lake The shore
has been crowded with humming bees,
cattle ind everything that could get TO the
waters edge, Witnesses from Forestyille
say that the utmost confusion prevailed;
many could not see. One man who had
lost his all, was both blind and crazy and
had to be led to the lake. North OF Sanilac
the fire on Monday night was terrible,
sweeping almost everything, but seemed to
leave the houses. The people here did dnot
know any fire was near them until 1t was
upon them, and all had to run for the lake
and being but u short distance all reached
It in safety. Ono woman, while they were
running for their lives, saw her oxen rln
into the slashng and, In spite OF the efforts
and cries Of the Others, rushed into It and
in driving them out and before
her to the lake.
John Kerr and family were asleep when
their building caught fire, and the neigh
bors seeing II ran and woke them and they
succeeded In saving the house but lost
else. Mrs. n. Burgess got sep
lrated from her husband and laid all night
In ditch. Another person laid down In q
mud puddle and rolled over and over ali
night long. A large party Of men have
gone to bury the dead bodies in Forester
t0wnship
.