The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-09-16
THE MICHIGAN FOREST FIRES.
rsnec;a1 to the Courier-Journal.l

/
especial to the Courier-Journal]
George Mcdonald, Minden, sanilac
county, tells a narrowing taie. over
200 families are homeless IN that sec
ton. and suffering from want OF food
and clothing.
John Ballentine, of Verona mills,
sovs that SO lives were known to be
lost in the neighborhood of Sand
Reach. The fire suddenly reached
Verona mills on Monday, ana the
town was soon wiped out. Thewind
was so strong that Mr.. Ballentins and
his wife were picked up and blown 10
| to 20 wards. A woman ana hef nus
band were found lying against q tree
dead. the woman being partly deliver
| ed of a child.
The devastation caused by the hres
of 1871 is nothing compared tosthe
fires of tho past few days in tho vein
ity of Richmondville and Wcs9rn,
Forester and Marion townships. lseli-
ahle information leads me to say that
upward of 80 per cent perished IN ne
flames. There was no escape for then.
The woods and ground were so dy
that no warning of danger was glv9.
Faster than a race-horse came tie
fire. 1t would embrace house or barn,
with its contents, and away TO inc
i, next. Persons who have been through
tho terrible ordeal say that in ten min
utes from tho time the fires struck
there would be no vestage OF the mouse
: left. have just returned from trlI
z through the burned district, and deS
i cription of the sights would make ti5
- readers blood turn cold. In many IN
stances men, women and children ar
u l., in tho road. whCr
they had fallen when oVertakc'
by the fire, and children are seen lynn
;. on logs, where they had clambered fo
-. safety. There was no finding eac
other when once separated. Many too
y refuge in wells, thinking to escape, ot
k in almost every instance were sum
- Gated. The details of the disaster i
j. Huron are as bad as here. l belicN
that when the returns arc in, 1000 pc
" sons will be found to have perlshed
y the flames. Forester township VI
r turn out Thursday to bury the de
I, cattle. sheep and horses, the stenc
70 from which is unbearable. Rev. "
- r. Arlington found 1G dead bodl'
VI rear Deckcrville. Only five building
t. arc left between that place and Mlndel
y John Flytewager's family, seven chi
g. tlren and wife, were all burned togeth
80 in Paris township, with 10. other
The Day family were burned, WI
10 Morris Clifford, wife and child.
of man and woman were lying dead
an the road between Donner's mill al
p. Tyre. Fifteen families were burned
.o. Moore and Argyle.
'e' Five hundred families are report
IN at NIindcn as having been burned OF
we A woman and seven head OF cat
ng were burned at Smiths mill, half
mo- mile from Tyre. Wherever not
., is left people flock to it like sheep Z
leu fold, some places as many as six Ia
sht lilies being in q log shanty. IN ~
The must have relief from below or "
nj suffering will be the result; i s. s.
No many families today who nao!r'
one meal since Monday, anu VINO
~, not know when they will get o
he Theiy teams are all gone, their co
&C. and other stock burned-desoiat'
10 stares them in the face. They L
~ about their misfortunes, and many
them say that, bad as it is, it mi ght
~, n great deal worse. They arc glad
in- Get away with their lives. Many
''u the men are Canadians who have
~. ~ begun to get matters in comiofta
. " - shape. Many need medicine and II!
zeal assistance.