The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1881-09-15
Fierce Flames-The Forest Fires in Micah
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PORT SANILAC, Sept. S.-The forest
fires have destroyed both property and
life Port Hope and Huron City in
Huron county, are totally destroyed, the
inhabitants having to leave everything
and flee 10 the lake for their lives,
leaving their property TO he consumed.
Many were burned to death while try
ing to escape the fire. 1t is stated on
good authority that one hundred or
more people persisted in the flames in
the vicinity of Port Huron aud Huron
City. Verona Mills, Charleston and
Bad Axe are all lying in ashes. Re
ports are coming i'll every hour about
persons being found dead.
Richmondville, seven miles north of
this place, was all swept away. 1t is es-
timated that a thousand families are
made homeless, with nothing but what
they have on their backs. Relief par
ties go from here, doing what they can.
AT Sandusky seven have been found
dead, some of them sulfocated in wells,
and several persons being blinded by
the sitting smoke. 1t is not all over
yet, as the wind has changed from the
southwest TO northwest, driving back
the fire on those who had escaped before
If rain does not come soon the worst
is feared. Something must be done or
the people will suffer with hunger and
for want of medicine. Everything is rs
dry as finder. Port Sanilac is not in AS
much danger as yesterday. The fire IS
about two miles west of town, and if the
wind holds the same until rain comes,
Sanilac will escape.
MINDEN. Mich, Sept. 6, via Port SAM
lac, 7th.-A terrible fire has been raging
west of MiDden since yesterday. The
of
midday. At three O'Clock in the after
noon a terrible hurricane set in. the
wind blowing towards Minden. When
within a few rods of the town the wind
changed and saved Minden, except G. y.
Wards elevator and two dwelling
houses and barns.
The villages of Charleston and Tyre
are destroyed.
Ubley, Huron county, is partially de-
stroyed.
At Charleston family of seven were
found dead In well, suffocated. II is
thought that not less than thirty and per
haps fifty people have persisted.
The townships of DelewaIe and Aus
tin, SanIlac county, Bingham, Sherman
county. and Paris, Huron county. are al
most burned to desert waste. OF
the crops harvested nearly ali have been
off, as railroad tracks and telegraph poles
are burned. This dispatch is carried
eighteen miles TO a telegraph station.
The smoke is sitting, and many are
nearly blind. No signs of rain. Other
towns may be destroyed soon The to-
tai loss of property is not less than two
hundred thousand dollars, with very lit
tie insurance, and few are able to bear
the loss Aid is needed Help must be
had from some other cities or many will
perish Send contributions to the ex-
press agent at Meriden or Forestvillc.
In Saginaw and Kerseyville townships
the fire is still running. and doing great
damage. Fires are also running through
Maple Grove township, in this county,
and New Haven, in Sheawassee county,
and doing much damage The fires east
of this city are very bad and the destruc-
ton to-day has been great, particularly
along the plank road between that city
and Vassar, and on the WatsonyilIc
plank road, a portion of which has been
destroyed; probably thirty families have
been burned out in Buena Vista town
ship and Plumfield township, in this
county, and thirty miles OF fence has
been burned up. The people seven miles
out from this city, in that section
are hauling wafer TO keep the stock
dIiNe- Inc sItuatfOu All through THIS re-
gion of the country is gloomy in the
extreme. On the Otter Lake branch of
the Flint and Pere Marquette railroad
there has been ii vast destruction of tim
Der and fences and portion of the
track have been burned. tits fearediun
less rain comes Immediately, the points
hitherto escaping in the fire belt, will
suffer immensely.
A letter from the County Treasurer of
Bad Axe. dated yesterday, says: Fifty