Daily Republican., 1881-09-09
Terrible Condition Of Affairs,

A special despatch from Detroit
Mich, says: "For six weeks there has
been no rain In the central and eastern
parts of the lower peninsula of Michi.
gan, and the woods in the Sagina val
ley and in the counties of Huron, Tus-
cola, Sanilac and St. Clair have become
dry as tinder. The leaves on the beec b
and maple trees have prematurely fall
Ell and form dry, rattling carpet on
the ground. For miles extensive tracts
which were partially burned in 1871,
where charred trunks had ever since
lain, have become again dry and con-
bustible. The farms scatter through
all these counties, in the elbow formed
by Saginaw Bay and Lake Hudson,
have been suffering for water, In the
villages on the shore and in the clear
ings the wells have given out and peo.
pie were going miles for water. This
was the condition of things three days
ago, when point in the terrible
drought was reached where the slight
est fire kindled in the leaves, the fields
or along the railroad tracks would
spread with terrible rapidity. So it
happened that in a hundred square
miles Of country in and around Saginaw
Valley and the Huron peninsula, below
Saginaw Bay, scores of fires started in
the woods, spread rapidly and convert
ed the country into "a land of flame,
furnace from which smoke rolled over
distant portions of the STATE and where
in few hours level wastes of ashes and
smoking logs only remained. The seat
tered settlements were soon besiegeu
by an enemy from which there was no es-
cape. Where they could the people fled
to the lake. To the weak, to the sick and
homes became funeral pyres.
Many escaped by hiding in wells,
c,herS by seeking to do so met death by
sutioca1ion. For the last thirty-six
hours the wind has been blowing to-
ward Lake Huron, and several of rhe
towns and villages along the shor
were wholly Or partially destroyed.
The only railroad communication with
Huron or Sanilac county is by the Port
Huron and North western Railway. a |
road which runs from Port Huron, at |
,he foot of the lake Of the same name,
20 Sand Beach, atthe further extremity
II the peninsula in which these cOun-
les are situated. 1t passes through
,ine woods mu III of the way, u few
niles back from the shore of the lake.
Ehe fires have swept across the track
n many places burned the telegraph
roles and nttcr y obstructed the line.
No Geographic communication can be
lad with any point beyond Crosswell,
station 2G miles ont from Port Huron
nd 80 miles this side OF Sand Beach.
'ho village of Deckerville, just beyopd
roosevelt. place of $50 inhabitants,
y burned and cut oft from any COM
nuncation, and Minden a place Just
bove, is in nearly the same condition.
II that place on Tuesday afternoon a
orrble hurricane set in. the wind
lowing directly toward the village.
But when the advancing wall of fire
Ias within u few rods of the place the
'ind changed, and thus the village
'as saved with the exception of G. A
Yards elevator and two dwelling.
ouses and barns, which were wiped
II the face Of the earth, causing a loss :
about $1,000 The village Of Char !
'ston, formerly known as Cato, where
itu si' db SulltllliB was CdiStu III loil, ,
wiped out, as is also the village of ,
yre. Both are in Sanilac county.
harleston has about fifty inhal itants :,
nd Tyre about one hundred and fifty. /
he latter was one of the older places !
Sanllec county having been settled !,
1851. The village of Ashley, form +
lv known as PayetL's Corners, is part +
destroyed at least"