The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-09-15
RAGING FIRE!
SWEEPS OVER MICHIGAN,
Destroying a Score Of Villages
and Making Deserts Of Fer
tile Fields.
Hundreds Of Lives Reported Lost.
Men, Women and Children Caught
by the DevOuring Flames
Roasted Alive or SuffOCated by
the Smoke and Heat.
THOUSANDS LEFT DESTITUTE
AND HOMELESS.
A Change In the Wind and Heavy Rain Pre-.
vents Further Destruction In Some
Localities.

SAND BEACH, MICH, Sept. THE fire
of last night was worse and did mole
damage than that of 1871. The towns
of Bad Ak, Verona, Port Hope and
Huron City, are all burned. Eight bodies
were brought into Port Hope before s
o'clock this morning, At least ..--.
ONE HUNDRED LIVES
have been lost in this county. R. J..
Meade and his whole family, living four
miles west of Sand Beach, were burned.
A child of James Meade was found dead
this morning. Jlmes Maule and wife
have not been found. One family were
found in a we'll, safe, but all their goods,
horses and barns were burned. The
people in Verona buried themselves in
their gardens. - ...
The hose company Of this town was
up all night, and is now wetting the
streets, houses, barns, etc. The only
danger here is from sparks and cinders.
$3.50 p. m.-The town of Sand Beach is
shrouded in total darkness, and business
is suspended. The hose company have
been wetting the business portions of
the place. The
GAS AND LAMPS ARE LIGHTED.
Many have their clothing and por-
ton of their bedding packed ready to 90
out on the lake. The smoke is sitting.
The train due here at 2:2O turned back
at Deckerville, twenty-five miles south
OF here. The people there have buried
the most Of their clothing and furni.
ture.
m.-Up to the present time twelve
bodies bave been found and brought in
to town. 1t is reported from Port Hope
that twelve persons are known to have
been burned near there. More are miss.
ing who, it is feared, have been burned.
From Port Austin, Huron county, re-
ports come that Bad AK, Verona, Huron
City and Forest Bay are all burned, OK.
Cepting few buildings.
THE TOWNSHIP OF BLOOMFIELD is
swept clean, and seventeen lives are
known to have been lost. A large num-
Der of farmers are left homeless. Port
Austin had narrow escape last night.
Assistance is neCessary'to prevent star
vation. .....
VICINITY OF SAGINAW.
EAST SAGINAW, Sept. 7.-During last
night the wind hauled around to the
northeast, and blew fresh all day. The
atmosphere was also materially cooled,
the thermometer dropping to "a degre
change of 80 degrees in "a hours. At
no time since the fire commenced has
the smoke been so dense as this after
noon. At 5 o'clock it was so dark that
the stores, business places, mills and
residences were lighted up and peculiar
tinge Of the sky gave the entire heavens
weird appearance.
GREAT DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY.
CHICAGO, Sept. 8.-Verona Mills is con-
sumed with the exception of one church
and the school house. Port Austin is
surrounded with fire, but unless the
wind rises they apprehend no danger.
Huron county seems to be a mass of fire.
Farmers and settlers are daily losing
barns and houses and contents, and un.
less rain visits us soon the county will
suffer great loss.
NEWS VIA PORT sANILAC.
PORT sANILAc, MICH, Sept. 7.--Folest
fires have destroyed both property and
life. Port Hope and Huron City, Huron
county, are totally destroyed, and the
Inhabitants leaving everything and fee
ing for their lives, leaving their property
to be consumed. Many were burned to
death while trying to escape the fire. 1t
is stated by good authority that 100 or
more people persisted in the flames in
the vicinity of Port Hope and Huron
City. Verona Mills, Charleston and Bad
AK are all lying in ashes. Reports are
coming every hour about persons being
found dead. RiChmondville, seven miles
north Of this place, was all swept swav,
In Forestertown two bodies were identi.
fed as those of Abel Thornton and wife,
Christ. Thornton, John Mahall, Sarah
Varkey and boy, name unknown, were
burned to death. Several more are re-
ported lost.
THOUSAND HOMELESS FAMILIES.
1t is estimated that a thousand fam.
lilies are made homeless, with nothing
but what they have on their backs, Re.
lief parties go from here, doing what
they can. At Sandusky seven have been
found dead, some of them suffocated in
wells, several persons being blinded BY
the sitting smoke. It is not all over vet,
as the wind changed from the south west
to the northeast, driving back the fire on
those who had escaped before. If rain
does not come soon the worst is feared.
Something must be done or the people
will suffer with hunger and for want Of
medicine. Everything is as dry as tin.
der. Port Sanilsc is not in as much dan
ger as yesterday. The fire is about two
miles west Of town now. II the wind
holds the same until rain comes, sanilac
will escape.
IN THE VICINITY OF MrNDEN.
MrNDEN, MICH, Sept. z, via PoRT SAN.
ILAC.-A terrible fire has been raging
west of Minden since noon yesterday.
The amoka hon ouu1ad M, E0r,ok;o,, Ill