Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1881-09-09
The Michigan Forest Fires.

Detroit, Sept. "Details continue to
come in respecting the fire in Huron and
Sanilac counties, showing that the ap-
proach Of the fire was heralded by dense
atmosphere, entirely obscuring the light
in the middle of the afternoon. From
Monday people carried lanterns in
the streets till three o'clock
Wednesday morning. In the
woods were many dead of all ages, pre-
senting revolving sight, the bodies be-
ing scorched and charred. The high
winds had spread the fi'e and every ave.
nue. had been closed to the fleeing, home
less ones, leaving only death by fire.
Large burning masses of infammables
were lifted bodily and carried through
the air. The skill and courage of man
seemed impotent, and men and cattle
were roasted together in natural fire
traps. One farmer plowing with oxen q
few miles from Sandbeach, start
ed home on the approach
of darkness and found his wife gone to q
neighbors. He took two children and
escaped, but three other children and his
eldest daughter who took another path
were found the next day charred beyond
recognition, and heaped together. Up
to Wednesday night 45. bodies were
found within mile in Paris township
Many more are missing. Nearly all are
Polish people. The whole settlement
crops and houses, is swept away.
In Delaware township, all the country
south of Forestville from the lake, ant
seven miles back, everything is swep
clean. These new settlers owed for thei
farms and lose everything. Men and cat
tie fled to lake where there is the utmos
confusion. A man who lost
all was blind and crazy. The fire sur
J prised every one in that region by it
sudden descent, and only for the lake
there would have been holocaust. On,
3 man laid in mud puddle and rolled
/ over and over all night. A large forc'
> has gone TO bury the dead animals. Man.
have been rendered blind and they hav
g to he led. Many are hungry, ill-cla'
and sick. More help must come soon
Geo. Furgeson, of White Rock saye sine
!. Monday he has seen 1l6 burned bodie
on the road. Wagon loads of coffin
were common sight. The latest report
: say the back townships are burned owe
s with large loss of life. The fires hay
d been extinguished by rains in the sectio
n between Sandbeach and Dickersonvill,
I'll THE FIRES sUBs1D1NG.
r Detroit, Sept. 9.-The fires seem to b
n abating. A Port Austin dispatch say
v the loss OF lives on top OF the burned p
d ninsula by Mondays and Tuesdays fir'
g is estimated at from two to three hui
10 dred. The following villages are bur
1t ed: Bad Axe, Venona, Forest Bo
sr Richmondville, Charleston, Anderso
re Dickersonville. Harrsonville, and Sa
1t dusky. The following are partly burr
b. ed: Port Hope. Minden and Ubley. II
re country suffered vastly more than Il
~ villages. Saginaw, Tuscola and Lape
u counties, on the tier back from the LAX
y. are greatly damaged, but not nearly s
of much ~ the shore counties; but in ca
nj of those favored counties hundreds
re thousands worth of property has be
ilo destroyed. 1t is hoped the rain has nj
stopped the fires. Everything now nee
ed to help the destitute is lumber, clot
he ing, provisions and seed grain. Z.
m. Carleton. mayor; or Senator o. D. Ct
nd ger. of Port Huron, will receive s,
'he plies
M RELIEF WORK.
tul Cincinnati, Sept. 9.-Relief measu