The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1881-09-13
THE FLAMING FIELDS
ON THE LAKE SHORE IN MICHIGAN
ARE STILL ABLAzE.
Hundreds of Lives Lost--A Thou
Sand Families Made Homeless
Fleeing from the Flames
100000 Damage In One -
COunty.-Several VII. .1at
lagos Destroyed. ;.

CHICAGO. September 8 "A special to
the Times from Sand Beach, Michigan.
dated September 7lh, IL 80 a. m says:
The fire Of last evening was worse and
did more damage than that of 1871
The towns of Bad OK, Verona, Por,
Hope and Huron City, are ell burned,
and eight dead bodies We're brought into
Port Hope before 8 o'clock this NOR
ming Al least.
ONE HUNDRED LIVES HAVE BEEN LOST
in the country K. l. Meade and bis
whole family, living four miles west Of
Sand Beach are burned, and child OF
James Meade was found dead this morn
ing. James Msute and wife have not
yet been found One family we're found
in we'll safe, but all their goods, hor
ses and barns were burned People In
Verona hurried themselves in their gar,
dens. The hose .companv;of this town
was up all night and are now wetung the
streets, barns. DC. =
$3.50 p. m.-The town of Sand Beach
is shrouded in total darkness, and busi4f
ness is suspended. The hose company
have been wetting the business portions
Of the place. Gas and lamps are light,
ed Many have their clothing and q
portion of their bedding packed, and
are ready to 60 out on the lake. Tbs,
smoke IS sTRIFLING. r<ia
The train due here at noon wasturnetf
back at Deckerville, twenty-five miles
south of here The people there have
buried most Of their clothing. The fur
niture store Of ] J. jerks & Co., Salt
block, in this place, caught fire, but the
hose company succeeded in putting 1T
out before much damage was done The
town is supplied with the Holly water
works throughout the business portion,
and no very great fears are entertained
for its safety A heavy roaring can be
heard of to the northwest, which some
think is thunder and others tornado
One farmer, fifteen miles southwest OF
here, lost his house, barn, and GOO
bushels uf wheat and 800 bushels ot
oatss His insurance had expired three
DAYS previously. A widow west OF
Verona lost her house and barn. No
communication can be had with the other
towns as the wires are not working
From q m up to :he present time
TWELVE BODIES HAVE BEEN FUND
and brought into town. Il ls reported
from Port Hope that twelve persons are
known to have been burned nesr there.
More are missing who, it is feared, have
been burned. Tue entire town Of Verons
is burned with the exception Of the no.
tel and church. The inhabitants have
saved nothing and there is not pound
Of four in the town A letter from the
County Treasurer OF Bad Ok dated yes
terday says: Fifty families are without
a roof to cover them. The county bull
diDgs and records are safe. The suffer
ers have appealed to the Mayors OF Por'
Huron and Detroit for aid, as no pro.
visions or clothing were saved. No one
can imagine the havoc that was made
nv yesterdays fire and last nights fire
One little child was found dead
cLAsPED IN AN ELDER SISTERS ARMS
and two others near by were burned &c
a crisp. Que entire family, consisting
OF Eve persons, were burned within
twenty rods Of their house. Reports
from what is known as the Erskine es.
tate, about eight miles west of here. and
running south through the township q
Paris, are .heartrending Dead bodies
, are lying along the road and 10 The
doors and yards, having apparently beer
overtaken by the fire. Port Hope wa.
entirely consumed, aud Huron City i.
entirely destroyed The depot anG
Wards elevator at Winden, fourteen
miles south of here, we're burned. There
has been no railroad, mail or telegraphit
communication since yesterday at noon
The fire company mas been al work il
this place constantly since yesterday a
l y. N. wetting the buildings. Th'
safety of the town depends on the wind
LARGE GOALS OF FIRE
have Teen blowing into town through
the day Il is thought the worst is pas
sed. These dispatches are sent by ,
boat to Port Huron The best esti
mates that can be made at present plac,
the number of families that are entitei,
burned out and destitute OF food apt
clothing at 500.
PoRr SANrLAo, MloH, September I :
| The forest fires have destroyed boti
property and life; Port Hope and Huron
9th, Huron county, are totally DESTROY
ed, and the inhabitants are leaving ev
erything and fleeing to the lake for thei
{ lives, leaving their property to be con
sumed. Many were burned TO. deall
while trying to escape from the iress 1
is stated by good authority that ON
| hundred or more people have
/. YERlsHED IN The FLAMES
. in the vicinity of Port Hope Hnho
: City, Verona Mills, Charleston and Ba
3 Ok are al lying in ashes. Reports ar
' coming in every hour about person
{ being found dead. Richmondvillt
. seven miles north of this place, was q
swept away. In Foresttown two Boo
les we're identified rs those of Abl
Thornton and his wife. Christophe
Forley, Joe Mahan, Sarah Vaikey and
u boy, name unknown, were burned
n death. Several more are reported los
e 1t is estimated that o
}. lruousA AMI FAurIJrs ARE MAnr 1oMrr rs