Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-10
wIsCONsIN's FOREST FIRES.
One or Two Villages Destroyed With
Heavy Financial Loss.

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CHICAGO, Aug. 9.--Late advices from
the section of Wisconsin devastated
by the forest fires yesterday place the
losses by the burning of the village OF
Spencer at nearly 100000 instead OF
100000, as first reported. There was a
large fire in Mershfeld, 100000 feet OF
chair stock at the Webster factory being
destroyed. The town was saved by hard
work.
A dispatch from Neillsvjlle says:
Great fear Is expressed in this city on
account of the extensive forest fires wbioh
are within four miles of the city and COM
ing nearer. The Mayor and Council have
ordered the fire companies to be in readi-
ness at any moment. Hewittville, seven
miles west of here, was burned to the
ground yesterday. The loss has not been
estimated yet, but will be very great.
Dellsdama, six miles south Of here, is
also in imminent danger. II rain does
not fall inside OF twenty-tour hours it is
feared that this city will also suffer
greatly.
MARQUETTE IN DANGER.
A late dispatch from Marquette, Mich,
says the city is in danger of destruction
from forest fires, which make the air
densely smoky. Pendel's slaughter house
III Juo ClIN llulllb udS bb6n utSJIUNbus anu
the nitrO-g -glycerine works of the Lake Su-
perior Powder Company are surrounded
by fire. Men are fighting the fire with
desperation. An oppOrtune change OF
wind saved the new city park at Presque
Isle yesterday. The day is oppressively
hot, and the fire fighters are suffering
greatly.
DEVASTATION AT APPLETON.
AT Appleton the fire at midnight de-
stroyed the paper mill of Richmond Bros,
causing loss of $4,000. The insurance
Is $35. 900.
AT Neillsville fires have been burning
in the woods in that vicinity for several
days.
At Hewittsvlle, ten miles from NeilIs-
willie, a saw mill, boarding house and
every building connected herewith, was
burned, Farm houses in the neighbor-
! hood were burned and many families were
compelled to move into the fields with
| their household goods. The fires are still
! raging south. west and north of Neills-
VILE, destroying grain and farm build
lngs. Particulars are difficult TO get.
100 MILES OF FLAME.
MILWAUKEE, Aug. 10, A. M.-For an
almost uninterrupted distance Of nearly
100 miles north of Stevens Point, along
| the line of the Wisconsin Central, forest
| fires are raging, and hundreds of men are
| fighting the flames, seeking to save the
towns and villages hemmed in by them.
| Telegraphic communication Is greatly in
| terfered with, and details are meagre.
| The complete destruction of the
town of Spencer is fully confirmed
and the loss is now placed at $500, 600.
! Several hundred people are destitute and
| homeless.
At Colby, a few miles distant, the fire
| is raging on two sides. A dispatch to-
night saysit required the desperate efforts
of the entire population TO save the viii
| lage. A gale was blowing all day, and
several times the fires reached to within
thirty feet of buildings and were kept in
check. Tonight the wind quieted down,
but the people are tired out, and if the
gale resumes the village is doomed.
PRENTICE SURROUNDED.
Tonight the village of Prentice, in
Marathon county, is surrounded by
flames, and it Is feared that it will be
swept out OF existence unless the wind
dies down.
Near Chippewa Falls the fires are CON-
fined to prairies and no buildings were
destroyed. Several farms were devastated
of their crops.
In the Menominee river region copious
rains have eXtinguished the fires that
have RACED there. The estimates of the
pine burned in this region places the
amount at upward OF 100, 100000 feet.
Along the valley division of the Chi
cago, Milwaukee and st. Paul railroad
are located the most extensive cranberry
marshes IN the West. There has been no
rain Tor weeks, and growers fear that
they will be swept from end TO end il the
fires once communicate to them.
Along the line OF the Milwaukee and
Northern railroad forest fires are raging
between Coleman and stiles. This terri
tory was burned over once before and the
present con1agratiOn is confined to under
brush.
MILLIONS OF FEET OF PINE BURNED.
The most serious fires, however. exist
in Clark aud Marathon counties. Adyices
received at the Wisconsin Central office
here are that millions Of feet of standing
pine have been burned. Thousands OF
cords OF wood piled adjacent to the rail-
way track. many hundreds OF dollars
worth Of ties, deserted lumber camps, iso-
lated dwellings and much other property
arenurned. Telegraph poles are burned of,
miles Of wire are ON tne ground and COM
munication between Milwaukee and the
northern division OF the Wisconsin Cen
trail road is cut of except by the railroad
oOmpany's private wires. II is feared
that other villages besides Spencer NAV
be swept away unless heavy rams fall at
once and eXtinguish the fires. Though
no fatalities have been reported vet, 1t ia
thought that many people must have
pershed in the backwoOds. The facts
Will not be known, however, until the
fires are extinguished and a search is in