The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-09-17

In an appeal to the public for aid issued by
the mayor Of Port Huron U. S. Senator Con
ger and others, the following brief summary
Is given OF the extent of the disaster by the
recen, forest fires in Michigan:
| The disaster has fallen upon q large portion
OF the counties Of Huron and Sanilac, with
some adjacent territOry-a section of The cOun.
try recently covered with forests and now occu
pied by nearly fifty thousand people, largely
recent settlers and either poor or in very mod.
crate circumstances. In the whole OF this sec
ton there has been but little rain during the
past two months, and everything was parchef
and dry, when on Monday, September 3, q
hurricane swept over 1t, carrying with 1t
sheet Of fame that hardly anything could
withstand. We have reports already of over
two hundred persons burned to death, many
OF them by the roadside or in the field while
seeking place of safety II Is probable that
twice this number have peIshed We also
have reports from twenty or more townships
in which scarcely house, barn or supplies Of
any kind are left, and thousands of people are
destitute and helpless All of these people re.
quire immediate assistance. and most Of them
must depend ON charity for months to come
We are dong ali in our power TO succor them,
but the necessities of the case are SO great that
the contributions of the charitable throughout
the country will he required to keep them
through the winter.
Happily the work OF ruin was stayed on
the 9th by seasonabe rains, IN reference TO
which we find the following dispatch In Satur-
days Chicago dallies;
A point has now been reached where it may
he reasonably hoped that we shall hear of no
fresh disasters to the afflicted people Of the
burnt district. Rains have fallen, probably
sufficient TO quench the fires, but not enough
to soak the ground and revive dropping vege-
tation. The lowest estimates make els faIni-
lies burned out IN the towns Of Marlet,e,
Flynn. Argyle, Evergreen Moore, Lamotte,
and Elmer, Sanilac county, and thirty-two
persons known to he dead. Men who Travelled |
through the burnt district yesterday report the
fires mostly out and the inhabitants sitting
about the ashes of their burnt houses, many
burned and otherwise injured. They are dis
and almost bereft of their senses
Provisions, clothing, bedding and other neces-
saries are being constantly forwarded, and men
are travelling through the burnt sections dis.
those who are in need Many persons are still |
missing IN the burnt district, and the exact
loss cannot be known for some days. Trans
are now running regularly to Sand Beach and
Marlettc. The old settled towns have suffered
no losses to speak of, hut II falls on the poorer
class of people that are just starting in the
newer townships. A good deal of suffering is
reported from the back par! of Tuscols coun-
y, adjoining Sanilac, where, as near as can be
,scertained, some scores of families are com.
)etely burned out and it is feared some loss
If life has occurred, though it is believed to
,e small The worst destruction is probably
It an end. The work of relief must now be
and systematically prosecuted
n many instances these poor people must he
ared for through winter and supplied with
very necessity of life.