Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-09-10
DIRE DEVASTATION.
WROUGHT BY A WHIRLWIND OF FIRE
ON THE MICHIGAN PENINSULA.
tanned, but Probably in Excess of Three
Hundred Several Entire Counties Laid
Waste-The Villages DestrOyed-Great
Suffering of the People and Immense
Destr uctiOn of Property.

DETROIT, Sept. "Details continue to come
in relative to the destruction by the forest
fires. In the principal theater'of the greatest
destruction and suffering an eye witness states
that preceding the approach of the fire there
was darkness and a copper-colored APP
pearance of the sky. Later ii changed to
a deep red, and by the middle of the afternoon
Monday it became SO dark that lanterns were
necessary in order that the people might find
their way out of doors. This condition con-
tinued until3 o'clock Wednesday morning,
when the wind shifted from west to north !,
which cooled the air and brought slight re-
lief. In the woods were many dead of every
age, and
PRESENTING THE REVOLVING APPEARANCE
of bodies which are scOrched and charred by
fire. The high winds that prevailed cut off
nearly every avenue of escape, and large burn
ing masses would be bodily lifted up and borne
great distances, and in many instances start
fires in fresh places. The skill and courage of
men seemed impotent to combat with such
flames and the fleeing people caught in the
fire traps were roasted as were their live stock.
A farmer who was blowing with his oxen a
IL,
perceived the approaching darkness
and started for his house, and reaching there
found hi. wife had gone to o neighbours. He
| took one of the children and gave three others
| in charge of his eldest daughters. Before tray
| cling many rods they found themselves cut
off by the flames. He turned in another d.
rection and escaped with two children. The
| thee children and daughter were found next
| day all in heap,
CHARRED BEYOND RECOGNITION.
Up to Wednesday night forty-tive bodies had
been found within mile in the township OF
Paris, and many more are missing. Nearly all
are Poles. The whole settlement is swept
| clean - buildings, crops and fences. II
Delaware township, all the coutry
south of Forestville from the lake sever
miles back, there is hardly anything left, moi
one house to the square mile. The witnesses
from Forestville say that the utmost confu
sion prevailed, many could not see. One man
who had lost his all, was both blind ant
| crazy, and had to be led to the lake north Of
Sanitoc. The fire Monday night was terrible
sweeping everything, but seemed to leave thu
houses. People here did not know any fire
was near them until it was on them, ant
all had to run for the lake, ant
it being short distance, al
reached it safely. One woman, while they
were running, saw her oxen run into the fire
and in spite of all efforts and cries of others
rushed into it and succeeded in driving them
before her to the lake. John Kerr and famil,
were asleep when their building caught and
neighbor seeing it ran to wake them and they
succeeded in saving the house, but lost every
thing else. Mrs. Burgess got separated from
her husband and laid all night in ditch. An
other person laid down in a mud puddle an(
rolled over and over all night. A large part,
of men have gone to bury the dead bodies
In Forester township, DR.. Hoyt returned
several people badly burned. Many were s,
blind they had to be led Many were withou
food. Numbers of parties have gone with
food, clothing, shoes, medicine, etc. Nor
help must come quickly, as much suffering
will ensue. They have no flour or provisions
George Ferguson, of White Rock, who ha
been on the road since Monday, reports he ha
seen
| ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN
burned bodies. At one place he saw fou
wagons bearing eight cotfins, one man walk
ing behind alone. It was his entire family
Il Another man was following three collins
| Every farmer lost some in crops and fences
Latest reports say that the back townships al
burned over with large loss of life. Wednes
day night the burning district between Deck
ersyille and Sand Beach was visited by a raj
storm which put out considerable porto
of the fires and cleared the air.
| LATEST REPORTS
are that the fires appear to be abating. A dis
patch from Port Austin at the top of til
burned peninsula, sums the general destrut
ton as follows: Loss of lives by fires O
Monday and Tuesday estimated at from 200 +
800. The following villages are burned, Bad
axe, Verona, Forest Bay, Richmondville
Charleston, Anderson, Deckersville, Harris
vile. and sandusky, Tho following are partl
burned; Port Huron, Minden an
uels 4I;,.oes The = Nothing great tho. loss
mentioned. Reports from Saginaw, Tuscol
ard Lapeer counties, one tier back from tn
lake, while showing much destruction O
property, do not approach those from tn
shore counties. The losses by fire are muc
less sweeping in general and the loss of lf
small, but in each of these more favore
counties hundreds of thousands of dollars
worth of property has been destroyed. Lates
reports from all these counties encourages tn
belief that rain visited many sections
aud that the deluge of flame is largely subsid
ed. work of immediate relief must now b
systematically entered upon. Lumber will
which to build houses, provisions of al
kinds, clothing, furniture, etc., must b
supplied in large quantities, to prevent still
greater restitution. The benevolent every
where can safely send money to E. G.. Car
Teton, mayor of Port Huron, or Senator o
D. Conger at the same place, with the assur
ance that the means will be judiciousl,
expended. Prompt action is most urgently
| demanded.
/ NO MORE DAMAGE EXPECTED.
DETROIT, Mich, Sept. 9.-The point is nov
reached where we may reasonably hope we shall
hear of no fresh disasters to the afflicted PEG
pie of the burned district. Rains have fallel
probably sufficient to quench the fires, bu
not enough to soak the ground to revive tn
dropping vegetation. The lowest estimat
makes 271 families burned on
in the towns of Marlette, Pyren, Argyle
Evergreen, Moore, Lamotte and Elmer
Sanitoe county,'and thirty-two persons know
to be dead. Men who Travelled through the
burnt district yesterday report the fires most
ly out and the inhabitants sitting about thu
ashes of their burnt houses, many burned iant
otherwise injured. They are dsconsolate au(