The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-09-16

1t is said that twenty-seven dead have been
found in the country between Bad Ak and Port
Hope. A dispatch from Ludington estimates
that the probable loss of life is from 800 to
400 in Sanilac county alone. The towns of
Watertown. Flynn, Elmer, Moore, Argyle Ever
green, Greenleaf and Eaton have suffered fear
ful loss IN lives and the destruction of proper
ty In these townships is immense. Everything
is gone, and the people are congregated at
these places. 49, - "~-
In some localities. whole families have per-
Ished in the flames, and on the eastern and
north border Of the county their condition il
pitiful in the extreme. The facts are more
horrible than heretofore reported, and MANY
have suspended business to attend to the mn
fortunates On the other side of Cass
river, the condition is deplorable, and the
sufferers are without homes, food or clothing,
Immediate relief is contributed literally, but
the outlook for The future is dark indeed.
Men who have grown old clearing land, and
we're enjoying the fruits of their labor in com
Portable homes, have lost everything and been
made paupers. EE
least 81, 600 inhabitants, one-half of whom have
settled here within ten years. The conditions
which made the fire so destructive were these:
Fully two-thirds Of the timber over the entire
burned tract was destroyed by the great fire Of
1871, and was piled up in miles OF windfaIls.
or, If standing, was mere kindling- wood. The
settlers preferred burned lands as being easily
rounded by great tracts of fallen
TIMBER: The roads were lined on either
SIDE by it, and many who persisted
were caught on these roads and hen1rned
in by labyrintks of this burning hemlock,
black ash and pine There had been no rains
over this region since spring to wet down any
depth. Even swamps which were usually COW
ad xuith or S1-o foot Of hod hooo
dry as finder. For weeks there had been no
heavy winds. The prevailing winds had been
from Lake Huron, with which fires did not run.
Ga the day of the great fire there was not
square mile in all the burned region that did
not hold more or less fire. Monday morning
opened with o cloudless sky, the mercury grad
ually rising to 100 and over. The wind was
south, running to southwest, and g. noon in
creasiDg to ffty-mile gale. At noon in many
places lamps had to be Lit, and sickening
sense of fear aud impending calamity over
spread the whole population. About O'clock
the wind assumed the violence of q tornado
The flames were of CHASTITY blush hue, giving
no light. but licking up timber, houses, barns,
stacks, animals and people with q resist
less fury, and this at places were no
fire was known to be for miles around in
the morning. On Tuesday the extent of the
horror began Ito be known-dead men, women
and children at what had been their doorsteps,
at their gates in the fields, and on the highways,
some untouched by fire, others charred and
blackened. One poor woman, in the agony of
childbirth, was haf-burned. The living, with
burned feet, ears or hands, and many women
and children entirely naked, were separated
from the rest of the family, blind, hopeless
and despairing.
In Sanilac county, Cato, With population
OF 100, suffered clean sweep of every build
ing. William Cole was burned In Tyre which
had population Of fifty, one dwelling alone is
left. DeckervilIe, with population of $50,
lost two mills, six stores and dwellings, At
Anderson, with a population of 100, clean
sweep Of all the buildings was made At
Cumber which had population of fifty, only
one dwelling is left. A clean sweep was
made of Richmondyille, with population Of
100, and seven lives were lost. The
following is a summary of the losses by town
ships: Washington, 80 homes WATERFOWL, 40
homes, 5 lives; Elmer, so homes; Moore, 40
homes, IL lives Argyle, 40 homes, 10 lives !;
Austin, go homes, 8 lives; Marion. Is
homes, 26 lives Delaware, 40 homes,
z lives Minden. 80 homes Bridge
hanton, 40 homes. Lamotte, Evergreen
and Green have suffered undoubtedly IN lives
and property in the same proportion, but no
particulars are at hand. Flynn, 80 homes !;
Speaker, Is homes Maple Valley, 90 homes
Sanilac, 10 homes. Lexington, 20 homes Elk,
% homes.
In Huron county, in the village of Bad Ak.
the population Of which was about 300, the
courthouse and one store only were saved In
Verona, with population of 100, church and
hotel were saved. A clean sweep was made of
Huron City, population 200. The same fate
befell Umbly, population $50; and Parisville,
population 100. At Port Hope, three mills,
SAT- block and lumber, and SIX dwellings,