The Portland daily press., 1881-09-08
FOREST FIRES.
Terrible State of Affairs in Mich
igan.
TOWNS DESTROYED AND MANY PER-
SONS BURNED TO DEATH.

CHICAGO, Sept. Later dispatches from
East Saginaw, Port Huron, Flint and other
places in Michigan continue to give alarming
reports of the fires. The additional rumors OF
loss of life continue. Several people have
been burned to death while fleeing from the
fires. The village of Deekville, on the Port
Huron and Northwestern Railway is totally
consumed Anderson station is partly
burned In Mendon the only loss was the ele-
vator Port Hope is nearly all burned. The
town of Verona Mills, in Huron county. is
all DESTROYED but the church and store. The
town of Bad AK is all gone but the court house
ana hotel. Sandinske is totally destroyed.
Richmoudville is totally consumed The fire
is raging in tho western part of louisville, and
the people are all moving to the lake shore.
In WATERFOWL to wnship two entire families
were burned to DEATH ! The mail carrier from
Morlette to Bad AK is reported lost The
mail carrier from Sandinske to Carsonville saw
two dead bodies on his route, and the horrible
truth remains only partially told George
Ayres and his wife, grandmother, two chill
dren and grandchild were burned to death.
Terror reigns in the whole country some peo-
nile not even going to bed. In the day it is so
densely dark and smoky as to render breath
ing troublesome. Lamps are kept constantly
burning. 1t is impossible to learn the full
extent of the terrible calamity, as there is no
mail and the telegraph is burned down.
A Terrible State of Affairs.
DETROIT, Sept. 7.-Beports are beginning to
arrive from the northern and non theastern
part of the State, showing terrible condition
of saffairs The long-continued drouJh has
rendered everything dry as finder, and num-
erous Hastings" or partly cleared tracts OF
land covered with brush, decayed timber and
other infammable materials, afford the best
possible Medium for the rapid spread of flames
carried by high winds which have been pre-
vailing. Sanilac and Huron counties lying Oh
the shore OF Lake Huron between Port HUI
ron and Saginaw Bay, are the theatre OF de-
struction, which is growing positively appall-
ing. Hundreds of farms are already reduced
to a blackened desert; stock, crops, fences and
all farm buildings are swept away. There is
absolutely nothing left. Several lives are
known to be lost Men, women and children
have been overtaken by the flames or sutfo-
Gated by the sitting heat. 1t is feared that
when full accounts are received the loss OF lie
may prove terrible. The little hamets of An
derson, Richmondville and Charleston in San
lilac county are all reported wiped out, while
Port Hope, Verona Mills and Bad Ak, in HUI
ron county, are reported wholly or partially
burned up. People are fiocking to the shore
of Lake Huron from the interior OF these
counties as the only refuge from the flames
Some have been overtaken by the spreading
fire; not less than twenty deaths are already
reported, In Tnscola counties and the next
tier of counties back from Lake Huron and
south of Saginaw, fires are raging, but not
with so great severity. The losses here are
simply overshadowed by the more terrible
state of things in the adjoining counties. The
same state of facts is true in Laper county,
next south of Tuscola. The whole country
around Saginaw and Bay City is ablaze from
farmers are reported The weather continues
excessively hot, with no signs of rain. Where
the present fearful condition of things will
end nobody can foretell.
Fire Raging in the Oil Region.
BRADFORD, Pa, Sept Brush fire to-day
burned over 200 acres, destroying forty -nine oil
we'll rigs and 5000 barrels of OIL Loss $40 900.