The Redwood gazette., 1881-09-15
THE FOREST FIRES IN MICHIGAN.

THE FOREST FIRES IN MICHIGAN.
4 Tornado Of Flro-Over Forty Town.
ships Devastated Terrible Suner.
fnys and Great Loss Of Lire-Iname-
diate Assistance Called For In Behalf
Of surviving Sufferers.
DETROIT, September 9.
The horrors of the situation in Sanilac
and Huron Counties, on the shores of Lake
Huron. are deepening every hour.
The distress is unparalleled. 1t Is be.
lieved that 800 people have persisted, and it
Is feared many moro, while thousands
are stripped Of every lhing-iood, shelter,
crops, stock---all swept clean from the face
OF the earth. The people need most every
thing necessary to sustain life and clOthe
themselves.
Accounts continue to come in Of the most
narrowing description. A special to the
fcst aud Tribune says:
George Macdonald, of Minden, Sanilac
County, tells q narrowing tale; over 700
families. are homeless in that section, and
suffering from want of food and clothing.
'John Bailentine, of Verona Mills, says
that hftY-three lives were known to be lost
in the neighborhood of Sand Beach. The
fire suddenly reached Verona Mills on Mon.
day, and the town was soon wiped out.
The wind was SO strong that Ballentine and
wife were picked UP and blown fifteen or
twenty yards. A woman and her husband
were found lying against tree, the dead
woman being partly delivered of a child.
The devastation caused by fires Of 1871 are
nothing in comparison to The fires of the
past few days.
"1n The vicinity C Richmondsville and
Western Forester and Marion Townships,
reliable information lc:xis me to say that
upward OF 300 persons persisted in the
flames. There was no escape for them. The
woods and the ground were 50 dry that no
warning of danger was give;i. Faster than
q race-hOrse came the fire. It would EN-.
brace house or barn with it's contents, and
away to the next. Persons who have been
through the terrible ordeal say that in ten
minutes from the time the fire struck there
would be no vestigc Of house left. have
just returned from trip through the
burned district, and the description of the
sights would make the readers blood turn
cold. In many instances men, women and
children were found lying on their faces in
the road where they had fallen when over.
taken by fire. Children were found lying
on logs where they had clambered for safe
ty. There was no finding each other when
once separated. Many took refuge in wells
and root houses, thinking to escape, but in
almost every instance were soffocated.'
The POST Trib,.e correspondent tele-
graphs:
"The details of the disaster in HUI.
ron County are as bad as in sanilac
County. believe that when the returns are
in 600 persons will be found to have per-
ished in the flames. Forester Township
will turn out Thursday to bury tho dead cat
tie, sheep and horses, the stencil from
which is unbearable.
"The Rev. w. F. Arlington found six
teen dead bodies near Deckerville. Only
five buildings are left between that place
and Minden.
"John Flytewager's family of seven chill.
dren and wife were az burnt together in
Paris Township, with seventeen others.
The Day family were burned, with Morris
Clifford, wife and child. A man and wom-
an are lying dead in the road between Dom
ner's Mill and Tyre.
Fifteen families were burned in Moore
and Argyle. Five hundred families are re-
ported at Minden as having been burned
out. A woman was burned at Smiths Mill,
half mile from Tyre.
''Wherever a house is left the people
flock to it like sheep to fold, in some places
as many as six families being in a log shanty.
They must have relief from below, or great
suffering will be the result. saw many
families to-day who hadn't had one meal
since Monday, and don't know when they
will get one. Their teams are all gone, and
cows and other stock burned. Desolation
stares them in the face. They talk about
their misfortunes, and many say, bad as Il
is, 1t might be great deal worse. They are
glad to get away with their lives. Many OF
them are Canadians, who had been over but
a short time. and had just begun to gel
matters in comfortable shape. Many need
medicine and medical assistance.'
Mr.. Joseph Besia, living near. also lost a
quantity of hay and fencing, and many rods
of Daner's fence were burned up.
The farm of the widow of John Klopf,
living a mile east Of Daner's, was totally cut
off from all communication with the neigh.
borhood, and what the fate OF herself and
family of three daughters will be cannot al
this writing be determined.
A party seen at the Indian school house,
who came in from the east, reported the
woods and fences all on fire, and the people
fighting to save their property. People are
nearly blinded by smoke. Water is scarcely
to be had, and stock is suffering. For the
past three days Tuscola has seemed to be
literally on fire.
Reports from every direction indicate ter.
rible loss and suffering. Nearly 100 families
between Caro- and Cass City are burned out
A number of buildings in Cass City burned
and for miles around the people are fockine
into the town, scorched and destitute,
many Of them having lost everything.
Reports are crowding in thick and fast,
and from these are learned enough to know
that the suffering in Huron, Sanilac and
Tuscola Counties will exceed that Of 1871
Wednesday, at Cass City, number of per.
sons were brought in MANNED for life from
the effects of burns, and it was reported or
good authority last night that several dead
bodies had been found.
In the towns Of Wells, Novesta and Day
ton undoubtedly many lives have been lost
Grievous tales Of people fleeing for life
and being obliged to run through the fire are
substantiated every hour. All estimates o1
the damage Inflicted In Tuscola County
must be based on conjecture, as it Is i'm.
possible at this time to make reasonable
calculation. 1t is certain, however, that
the losses, exclusive of the damage to green
timber, cannot be less than 500, 600, and
many think this to low by one-quarter
About 15O dwellings, 200 barns and sheds
thousands Of bushels of grain and miles Of
fencing have been wiped out, and when
there is added to all this the losses in house.
hold furniture and clothing, 1t will he seer
that the figures are none too high, and
probably very low.
The following appeal for aid has beer
issued by the Committee of Citizens Of Pol
Huron, headed by Senator Conger, Mayor
Carleton, and others:
To the People Of the United States:
A most appalling disaster has fallen upon I
large portion of the Counties of Huron ant