The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 18??-1882, 1881-09-16

county, without doing much damage
until last Monday. On Monday
morning at 1870 the smoke became SC
thick that the sun became obscured
and 10y II m. the darkness became
impenetrabe. 1t was by this
time as dark as midnight, and we could
not distinguish any person or object at
the distance Of 10 feet. made up my
mind there was trouble brewing for us,
and l Immediately shut up our works
and prepared to fight fire. We were
very fortunate, as the fire did not come
any nearer than half mile OF our viii
lage. After keeping watch 4S hours
necessarily without sleep, the wind
changed to the north and cleared up
the smoke, and 1 then got a "rig,"
and taking along some provisions,
started west, and made for the town.
ship Of Paris, and through that part of
it that suffered the most. 1t is almost
impossible to describe to you the rava-
ges the fire has made in this township.
| travelled miles where every farmer is
burnt out. l went four miles ON one
road, and every building, fence, and al
most every head of stock are destroyed.
On this road there have been Is lives
lost. l met one OK team and wagon on
this road containing three rough board
boxes with eight cOrpses enclosed. The
man that was along was the only mourn
en-, walking behind the wagon, follow
ing his wife and five children to the
grave, they having been burned to
death. A little farther along there
was another woman and five children
found in the middle of the road dead.
tell you it is terrible. 1t is almost
impossible to realize without seeing
There is nothing but a barren waste to
be seen, with dead cattle, hogs, sheep,
chickens, etc. At one place where /
called bear had taken refuge under
the house and burned along with the
building. The following is a list OF
those that have perished and been
found in the town of Paris up to this
date. with several still missing. Frank
Lochs lost his wife and five children
Simon Wrohbel lost one child; Frank
Masur lost one child: Matthias Walen.
ski; John Spirkowski lost his wife and
FIVE children; Mrs. Laurence Wixbitzket;
Mrs. Gusa; Mr.. Mcpherson and wife;
John Kobatzki lost one child; JOS. Kars-
mia lost one child; two grown up girls
not Unidentified,
In the township of Bingham, John
Freighburger, wife and seven children
all burned to death.
l understand there have been some
Is bodies taken to Sand Beach for in
tcrment. At Port Hope there are
number who have lost their lives,
and to the south Of Minden some Is
were buried to-day. The following
places are destroyed in this county:
Port Hope, partially destroyed. Huron
City, all gone. Forest Bay, all gone.
Bad Axe, all gone but the court house
and one store. Verona Mills all but
one hotel and store.
These are all ! have heard of at pres
ent, as our telegraph and mail COM
munication was cut off. The fire has
been mere destructive than the. fires of
1871, as far as l can learn.
And now, gentlemen, these people
need relief, and that as soon as 1t can
possibly be sent, as they are without
homes. almost naked, and nothing to
help themselves with, as their crops
were in their barns and not yet market
ed. 30 that they need everything to COM
mence again with. We up here are
doing all in our power to aid them, but
what we can do does not 60 far with
SO maily. I sent three wagon loads of
provisions and clothing In to-day of
our own, besides what other parties
sent. The town Of Paris being the on
ly town / visited l can but give you
tthe number burned out in this town,
which is ITO families, or about $50 per-
sons. And God only knows how many
there are in the other towns, but there
are large quantity. From what can
learn there must be 1000 persons home
less in this county. And now what
ever is done do it quickly. and if there
is any part Of this letter that will help
the people by having it published you
have my consent to do so. We have
lost 1000 cords Of wood, and we feel
happy tonight that it is no worse.
Yours respectfully,
THOMAS THOMSON.
To name the townships and villages
that suffered by the econAagration would
be to gazette the whole Of Huron and
Sanilac counties, large part Of Tusco-
la county and much of the other coun-
ties herein before specified.
At the following points the fires
were most disastrous.
PLACES BURNED.
Porters Station, containing four or
Ave buildings was burned, and a train
that had just arrived having run the
gauntlet of the flames was badly dana
aged. Rchmondville, only one build
ing remaining. Anderson, on the p. II.
& N. w. r. R. completely destroyed.
Fort Hope, nearly all burned. Bad Axe,
only the courthouse and hotel left
standing. Verona Mills, all burned but
the church and store. Charleston, an
entire ruin in twenty minutes after
the flames reached it. Minden, partial
ly destroyed, Houghton Creek, near
Vassa, all the dwellings are burned.
Forester township, only one house left.
Paris, total ruin. Tyre, Cato, Huron
City, Forest Bay, all burned. Ubley,
partly. The townships Of Delaware,
Minden, Austin, Bingham and Sharon
can be only compared to deserts. The
townships Of Watertown, Custer, Moore
and Argyle are blackened prairie
Beaver township everything burned
Bloomfield, total. Moore township, q
clean sweep. Crosswell, Deckerville