Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-09-10
THE FIERCE FIRE FIEND
SPREADS DEATH AND DEVASTATION
IN MICHIGAN.
Description Of the Dreadful Scenes-Nine
ViIIages.TotaIly Destroyed-1hree 9th
ers Swept Partially Away-Some
Two or Three Hundred Lives
Lost-Property Burned.
THE WORK OF RELIEF ENTERED UPON
TIE MICHIGAN FIRES.

Latest From the Devastated Region.
DETROIT, September "Details con-
tinue to come in relative to the destruc'
ton by the forest fires. Huron and
Sanilac counties were the principal thea
tres of greatest destruction and suffering.
An eyewitness states that preceding the
approach of the fire there was darkness
and a copper colored appearance OF the
sky. Later it changed to deep red,
and by the middle OF the afternoon OF
Monday 1t was so dark that lanterns
were necessary in order that the people
might wind their way out of doors.
This condition OF affairs continued until
about 8 o'clock Wednesday morning,
when the wind shifted from
West to North, which cooled the
air and brought slight relief.
In the woods were found many dead OF
every age, and presenting the revolving
appearance of bodies which are scorched
and charred by fire. The high winds
that prevailed cut of nearly every ave-
nue. OF escape, and
Large Burning Masses
would be bodily lifted up and borne
great distance and in many instances
would start fires in fresh places. The
skill and courage Of men seemed i'm
potent to combat such flames, and the
fleeing people caught in the fire traps
were roasted as were their live stock.
One farmer who was blowing with his
oxen few miles from Sand Beach, per-
ceived the approaching darkness and
started for his house. Reach
ing there he found that his
wife had gone to neighbor's.
He took two children and gave three
Others into the charge OF his eldest
daughter. Before travelling many rods
they found themselves cut off by the
flames. He turned in another direc-
ton and escaped with the two children.
The three children and the daughter
were found the next day all in heap,
and
Charred Beyond Recognition.
Up to Wednesday night iorty-fve
bodies had been found within mile N
the township OF Paris. Many are miss
ing. line whole settlement was swept
c ear, as were the buildings, trees and
lences in Delaware township, and
in all the country south OF For
estville from the lake seven miles
back. There is hardly anything left
not one house to the square mile. The
people were new settlers, and had small
clearings. The fires swept them like a
hurricane. They lose all they had and
owe for their places. Many OF them
fled to the lake. The shore has been
crowded with men, women, cattle and
everything that could get to the waters
edge. Witnesses from ForestviIle say
that the utmost confusion prevailed:
Many could not see. One man who had
lost his all was both blind and crazy, and
had to be led to the lake north of Sani-
lac. The fire on Monday night was ter
rible, sweeping almost everything, but
it seemed to leave the houses, and Il Q
people here did not know that any fire
was near them until it was on them, and
all
Had to Run for the Lake.
and it being but a short distance, all
reached it safely. One woman while
running for their lives saw her oxen run
into the slashing, and in spite OF the efforts
and cries of others, rushed into it and
succe eded in driving them out before her
to the lake. John Kerr and his family
were asleep when their building caught
fire, and the neighbors seeing it ran
to wake them, and they succeeded
in saving the house, but lost everything
else. Mrs. n. Burgess got separated from
her husband and laid all night in a
ditch. Another person laid down in a
mud puddle, and rolled over and over
all night. A large party OF men have
gone to bury the dead bodies in Forester
township.
DR.. Hoyt returned after more med.
cine and reported several badly burn, d
and many 80 blind that they had to be
led. Many are without food. A mum.
ber of parties have already gone with
food, clothing, shoes and medicine.
More Help Must Come Quickly
or much suffering will ensue. They
have no flour or provisions.
Geo. Furguson, OF White Rock, who
has be,n on the road since Monday, re-
ports that he has seen one hundred
and sixteen burned bodies. At one
place he saw four wagons bearing eight
cetfins and one man walking behind
alone. 1t was his entire family. An
other man followed with three cotfins.
Every farmer lost some crops, fences, &c.
The latest reports say that the back
townships are burned over with large
loss OF life. On Wednesday night the
burning district between Deckerville
and Sand Beach was visited by rain,
which put out a considerable portion OF
the fires and cleared the atmosphere.
The latest reports are that the fires are
abating. A despatch from Port Austin
at the top OF the burned peninsula,
sums up the general destruction as fol-
lows: Loss OF lives by the forest fires
on Monday and Tuesday are estimated
at from 200 to 800.
The Following Villages Were Burned:
Bad Axe, Verona, Forest Bay, Rich.
mondville, Charleston, Anderson, Deck
ersville, Harrisville, and Sandusky. The
following were partly burned: Port
Hope, Num- and Ubly. The great loss
in the villages is nothing to that in Il g
country where the losses are too numer-
Gus to be mentioned. Reports from
Saginaw, Tuscols and Lspor counties,
one tier back from the lake, while show
ing much property destroyed do not sp.
proach those from the port counties.
The losses by the fire are much less
sweeping generally, and the loss of life
is small, but in each ofthese more favor
ed counties hundreds OF thousands OF
dollars worth of property have been de.
stroyed. The latest reports from
all these counties encourage the belief
that rain visited many sections, and