The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-08-11
FORESTS IN FLAMES
AND MANY TOWNS THREATENED
WITH DESTRUCTION.

A Repetition of the Calamity of 1879
Threatened in Wisconsin-Everybod
Fighting the Flames-Farmers Com
PEELED to Camp in tho Fieids-Mar-
quette, Mich, in Danger.
MILWAUKEE, Wis, Aug 1l-Forest fires
are raging almost continuously for nearly
100 miles along the Wisconsin Central rail
road, north Of Stevens Point. Towns and
villages are encireled by the flames, and
their inhabitants are heroically battling
with the deyouring element TO save their
homes from destruction. A Stevens Point
dispatch says: The woods on the west side
Of the river are burning for miles north and
south The fire crossed the river ut Con
ants rapids, near the Robinson mill, which
it destroyed Monday afternoon The flood
wood in the river at Conants rapids is
burning, and the wind is blowing iiercely."
Fire ragged at Colby, on two sides of the
village, all day Monday, the flames some
times approaching to within twenty five or
thirty feet of the buildings. The men of
Colby are thoroughly tired out from tight
ing the fire.
\ large fire is burning in the woods just
west of Depere x Williamson's saw-mill \
farm. house and its barns have been burned
Should the wind change Depere would be in
great danger. Green Bay is reported to be
in danger. The Chicago q Northwestern
trains were stopped by fires near Pensaukee,
and at last reports they had not been able
TO get through the flames.
Forest fires are burning in several direc-
ticns near Wausau, but no immediate dan
ger to that city is apprehended. Sunday the
smoke arose in such volumes there as to OBJ
Scure the sun, and at midday it was as
dark as at twilight. The woods between
Wausau and Mosinee were one mass of
flames The favorable direction of the
wind alone saved the village of Mosinee. 4
party of men and women visited Rib Hill
Sunday, and on their return to Wausau
they were hemmed in by the fires raging
on the Rib river bottoms. They came near
| being sutfocated- They reached the city
at late hour, scorched and biackened.
The village of Prentice, in Marathon
county, is surrounded by flames, and it is
feared that it will be swept out of exist
ence Near Chippewa Falls the fires are
confined to the prairies and no buildings
have been destroyed. Several farms have
| been devastated of their crops.
The air Is laden with smoke that hangs
| over the country like a black pail In the
town of Maine fires are raging, but the
| chief damage done there far is to the
| timber. Instances are reported hourly
| where whole neghborhoods have been
| called out to tight tho fires, and farm.
houses, fences, haystacks, and outbuildings
| have been destroyed The roads in great
| many places are impossible by reason OF
falling timber and the proximity of the
| fires Unless rain comes soon there is dan
| ger of a repetition of the calamity of 1872,
when the village of Peshtigo was swept
| from the earth
A dispatch from Neiilsville says that
| fires have been burning in the woods in that
vicinity for several days. At Hewittville,
| ten miles from Nei.lsville the saw-mill,
| boarding house. aud every building con-
nected Herewith was burned. Loss, $40, ,00Q.
| Farm houses IN the neighborhood were
| burned, and many families were compelled
to move into the fields with their household
| goods The fires are still raging southwest
ana north of Neillsville destroying grain
and four buildings Particulars are diff
cult to obtain
There is no report of fatalities so far, but
it is expected that many persons have per
ished i'll the fiameS of whom nothing Will
be known until the fires subsidies. Ovel
| 100, 400, 600 feet of lumber have been burned
| in the Menomnee river region. but rain
has put out the fires there.
MARQUETTE, Mich, Aug. II MaI1uette
was fire girt city all Monday. The fires
which have been running i'll the woods and
| brush for several days have closed in onthe
city from the north and west until they en-
| croached On the city limits, and at p. m.
| there was great danger of the destruction
| of the northern part OF the town. This por-
| tion is newly built, and water mains have
not yet been laid there, consequently there
is no protection agains fire, as the city has
no steamers, depending entire on the Holly
system Several outlying buildings have
| gone, and the fires are now coming steadily
nearer the Fifth ward school house
The extensive giant powder and nitro
| glycerine works of the c. S. Powder com
pany, two n2iles out of town. are in great
| danger Burning bark and leaves ar be-
| ing swept over them by the high winds
Marguette's new public park (PTesque Isle
has narrowly escaped The fire was stopped
on the narrow neck OF the point by a change
of the wind. The day has been one of un-
bearoble heat here and men fighting fires
have suffered greatly. The city was en-
veloped in thick white smoke and the sun
looked like red ball in the sky. The fog
horn has been sounding since midnight Sun
day.
Other large fires are raging ten miles to
the south on the ChocoIay river and on
| Sand river just across the bay, along the
Detroit, Mackinac x Marquette railroad,
ba
| go like tinder. The Detroit, MaCkinac q
Marquette express had to run Monday after
noon through the fire The train was
| stopped and all the car windows were
closed The track was examined ahead,
and under full head of steam the train
dashed through the flames, At Baraga, on
the Marquette, Houghton & Ontonagon, the
cars were Wet down before the train passed
through the worst places.
| Gen. sheridan Visiting His Old Home.
SOMERSET, Ohio, Aug I,.-Gen. Sheri-
dan is expected to arrive here to see his old
mother, now s' years of age, and whom be
visits every year. The Thirty-first Ohio
regiment is holding its reunion here, and
the general has promised to take part in the
exercises. The town is profusely decorated
with anners bearing complimentary in
scriptions to Sheridan. The road leading
to his mother home is overhung with these
patriotic tributes The little village is yery
proud of having been the birth place of tb 3
gallant general.
Fields Verdict Against Bennett.
LONDON, Aug. II. - Counsel for Mr.
Iama- Eor,lnn Rappatt anfarad n ,potinu IL,