Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-14
WISCONSIN'S WILD WASTE
DREARY SCENES ALONG THB
PATHS OF THE FLAMES.

A Drought Added to the Elements ot
DanEer-Many Water Courses Com
'etely Dry Fifty-One Buildings
swept Away at Depere-Many Lives
Undoubtedly Lost in the blazing FOr-
eats.
FORT HOWARD, WIS, Aug. 13.-The
reports from the great fires in this region
have not been at all exaggerated, and IN
requires but a glance to show that but
little of the real misery and destruction
they have caused has yet been brought ia
light. Fort Howard and Green Bay are
enveloped in dense volumes OF smoke.
and all around the outskirts of the town
can be seen flames as they burst from the
distant woods.
Since the train left Milwaukee the ef.
fects OF the late drought have been more
and more apparent.
SCENES ALONG THE RAILS.
The railroad seems as though it haG
been built by an unscrupulous board Of
County Commissioners, aud the contracts
let to as many culvert builders as posi-.
Bile. The road north of Appleton seems
TO consist Of culverts built without any
cause, for there is not sign OF one OF the
creeks which they are designed to cross,
Everything is as dry as tinder, and fences
and grass along the tracks are either
burned or now are burning, and the bushes
are all on fire and burning tiercely. Here
too the smoke became more dense and
hung in the atmosphere sullenly as
though waiting an opportunity to settle
down and envelop the country in Egyp.
tian darkness. Over the water of Green
Bay IL descended like dense fog In all
but It's color. The smoke is light brown,
and the wind alternately clears it away
and allows IL to gather again. The sun
shines through 1t like a huge orange and
casts a siokly shadow.
THE SCARCITY OF WATER.
The scarcity ofwater makes every ona
apprehensiYe OF fire. and the proximity OF
| forests is a constant source OF dread. Ono
| OF the most peculiar effects of the fire id
the action OF the animals, which seem to
be apprehenslve of some great danger.
| Cattle and horses huddle together, for
| getting TO feed, and stamp the ground
restively Even the birds seem frightened
and fly around in an aimless sort Of way,
Around Green Bay the damage has been
| heavy but the greatest loss has been suG
fered in the Oconto region.
DEPERE DEvAsTED.
Depere village, half dozen miles south
OF here, has suffered heavily. Last Mon.
day night u conhagration broke out and
consumed tifty.one buildings, including
a church and several stores. The fires
according to thelatest reports are rapidly
! dying out, and unless a gale of wind
should spring up, will probably cause
little more damage. The loss OF life Ia
less than was anticipated, although
doubtless greater than has been reported.
| Communication with the timber districts
is slow and investigation will dou ubtless
bring 10 light great deal OF suffering.
TALES OF THE wooDsMEN.
EAU CLAIRE, WIS, Aug. 13.-The la.
test reports from the Chippewa fire dis<
tricts were received from several woods~
men who arrived from Deer Tail, an inn
pOrtant feeder of the Chippewa, last even-
| ing. They have travelled considerably
| over the burnt and unbburnt districts
north OF here and say no territory can es-
cape the devastation OF the flames in the
| present dry condition. The Superior re-
gions are well burnt over, but the fires
have broken out afresh in a number of IL
calities on the Upper Chippewa since
Tuesday, and are raging fearfully. OF
the escaped territory 80 far are
tracks along Deer Tail toward
Sault Ste. Marie on which there Is plenty
of chOppings and windfalls, which will
offer most c0mbustible food for the flames,
which are expected to reach that locality
in day or two. settlements are spars g
in that direction and the loss will be cons
fined TO standing pine and hemlock. On
| Yellow river, 40 miles northeast OF here,
the fires have done irreparable damage.
rhe fires are having their own way, bus
men are now stationed at the logging
camps and hay marshes to save that props
ertv II possible. The Chippewa districts
have so far escaped with less damage
| Than the other districts eastward.