Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-09-14
Michigan's Great Calamity.

iiuioh anu Ddnildc COuuIleS, hlCnlRdD
have been the theater of great and destruc.
tive forest fires, causing immense loss Of
property and appalling destruction of human
life. The fires commenced in the early part
of this month. The long-continued drought
had rendered everything dry as finder, and
numerous Hastings" or partly cleared
tracts of land covered with brush, decayed
timber and other inAammable materials, afford
the best possible medium for the rapid
spread of flames carried by high winds,
which have been prevailing. Hundreds of
farms have been reduced to blackened
desert; stock, crops, fences and all farm
buildings are swept away. There is abso-
lutely nothing left. Men, women and chill
dren have been overtaken by the flames or
suffocated by the sitting heat. People flock
to the shore of Lake Huron from the interior
OF these counties as the only refuge from the
flames. Many took refuge in wells and
persisted there. At one place was seen four
wagons bearing eight collins, with one man
walking behind, all alone. 1t was his family.
Another man was following three collins.
In Tuscola county and the next tier of
counties back from Lake Huron and south
OF Saginaw, fires have been 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 the marshes taking fire. An
eye witness states that darkness and cop.
per-colored sky preceded the approach of
the fire. Later the sky changed to deep
red, and on Monday afternoon it became 50
dark that lanterns were necessary for people
to find their way. This condition of affairs
continued until about eight o'clock Wednes-
day morning, when the wind shifted from
west to north, cooling the air and bringing
slight relief. In the woods were many
scorched and charred bodies, which pre-
sented revolving appearance. The high
winds that prevailed cut off nearly every
avenue of escape, and large burning masses
would be lifted up bodily and borne along
for great distance, starting fires in fresh
places. The fleeing people were caught in
fire-traps and roasted.
Senator o. d. Conger and w. L. Ban
croft, Esq, a committee appointed to visit
the burnt regions, report, The undersigned
make this second report after visiting the
burnt regions and receiving the reports of
large number of persons familiar with the
facts, and in most instances giving us the
names of the victims and sufferers, already
ascertained in twenty towns in Sanilac and
Huron counties. We find over two hundred
persons destroyed by the fire, including
entire families lost. We have lists already
of more than fifteen hundred families burned
out, in most cases losing houses, barns,
cattle, horses, grain, hay, everything of
which they had in most instances abundant
possession few hours before, without food,
shelter, clothing, and almost without hope.
They huddle together in crowds, or wander
half-crazed alone, till help comes to them.
They must have good clothing, habitations,
winter wheat for sowing, grass seed, hay, a
thousand things, till next harvest comes,
We do all we can, but the calamity is too
overwhelming, and beyond our utmost
means to relieve alone. The generosity Of
the American people is proverbial. We
invoke its exercise. Send your contribu.
tions to the Hon. L. c. Carlton, mayor of
Port Huron and chairman of the relief COM
mittee." Over seven thousand persons are
homeless and entirely destitute, more than
one thousand square miles have been burned
over, and over three million dollars of prop
erty destroyed. Strong appeals for help are
made and generous contributions are being
offered all over the country.