The Worthington advance., 1881-09-15
TERRIBLE FOREST FIRES.

man Beings Have Perished in the Flames
Their Charred Remains Being Brought Ir-
Thousands 0f Families Rendered Homeless
Northern Michigan, which is heavily wooded,
has been subjected for q long time to severe
6routh. Everything was dry when, on Monday,
September 5, hurricane swept over it, carry
ing with it sheet OF flame that hardly any.
aster was the result. A large portion Of the
counties OF Huron and Sanilac, with some ad-
jacent territory, . section of country recently
covered with forest and now occupied by nearly
$4,000 people. largely recent settlers aad
either poor or in very moderate circumstances,
s:s ss' been tho completely css and late s se''s
800. Adispatch from Detroit says that the
fire came with a hurricane Of wind Monday
noon, aud the whole heavens seemed to be on
fire. The inhabitants thought Of nothing bu:
10 ESCAPE with their lives. In some sections
the fire swept everything before it, and spread
with such rapidity that the people were obliged
to fec with only the clothing On their backs
There is no such thing az giving particulars,
but it is known that over 200 men, women
and children arc burued to death in Sanilac
county alone, and as many as 100 more in HUI
ron county. Thousands OF families arc home
less and almost naked. The villages of Forest
Bay and Huron City, both in Huron county, ara
gone. special from Sandusky, Sanilac coun-
~, reports that the entire central portion of
that count y is burned over, and scarcely any
thi.g left Twentn- three dead bodies were
found s!9ng the roads in Moore, argyle. Gus
ter and Wstcrton townships. Within fifteen
miles of Mindon over 200 pereoEs arc known
to have burned to death.
A special from reputable citizens Of Lexington
says: Dead bodies arc brought iu from all
i-cctions. 1t is now known that over 500
were killed. in Sanilac county.
Another dispatch says reports from what
aafNfo al oily
vest Of Sand Beach and running soath through
the township Of Paris, are heartroptlerinR
Dead bodies are lying along the road ana in tho
door yards, having apparently been overtaken
by the fire. The best estimates place the num-
Der Of families that are entirely burned out and
| destitute Of food and clothing at 500!
1t is stated by good authority that 100 or
more people perinheG in the flames in the vi
cinity of Port Hope and Huron city, Vernon
| Mills, Charleston and Bad Axe are lying ia
ashee
The villages of Charleston and Tlrea are to-
! tally destroyed. Ubly, Huron county, partially
| destroyed; Bad Axe and Verona II lis, Huron
| comfy. are probably burned.
An appeal has been issued for aid by o CON-
! mittee OF citizens OF Port Huron, beaded by
Senator Congor, Mayor Carlton and others.
A dispatch from Port Austin, at the top Of
! the burned Peninsula says the following vii
| lagos are burned:. Bad Axe. Verons, Fores
Bay, Richmondville, Charleston, Anderson.
Deckersville, Harrisonvllle and Sandusky. Tho
following are partly burned Port Hope, MIMI
den and Utley. Tho great loss in the villages
is nothing to that in the country, where losset
are too numerous to Ike named =
The flames in almost all quarters snbeided on
Wednesday, owing to copious rains, and the
details are slowly coming in. Tho scenes o
horrer in tire woods are too frightful for any
pen to portray. The dead were found every
where, very rarely recognizable, and in mos
ca Is nondistinguishable as human beings
Many were mere masses Of burnt flesh, which
| fell apart when touched, and very few could
eek or ago be distinguished.