The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-15
DESOLATING FOREST FIRES.
A Correspondents Account of q Ride
Through One of the Burnt Districts.
The Heroism and Humanity Of Typical
Young Americana Particularly Sad
Scene Witnessed by the Writer.

Wis.,. special, dated yesterday, says, "All night
long the fires in the northwestern section of
Brown county have been raging and the ruddy
reflection of the flames has been uainting the
murky sky bright red The sole topic of con-
versation here is the fires and the probability of
rain. Last night breeze sprang up from the
east and hopes were entertained that it would
bring with it the longed for rain. The morning
came. and the sun rose bright and brilliant
Every sign of rain had vanished and the
evening breeze had cleared the air. that for the
past week has been almost constantly obscured
by the brown smoke. Your correspondent drove
southeast from Green Bay this morning through
the burnt region in that vicinity. East of Green
Bay the country has been cleared of timber. and
is occupied by farm houses. Every one Is suf
fering from the drought, and the crops are very
poor. In the township of Bellevue! the ravages
of the fire became apparent Little patches
Of burnt timber stood among, the sur
rounding pine forests The ground in
places was covered by the gray ashes of the
brush and leaves which had been consumed, and
here and there great wind-fal-as a tree
which has fallen down is termed-gave out a
red glow kick on the massive trunk sent mp
a shower of sparks, and little flames darted
forth from the crevices in the log. The woods
looked as though nipped by an early frost The
leaves 90 the oak and hickory trees were brown
and faded from the effects OF the heat while in
the portions of the woods where the fire had
swept away the leaves and small branches
the great trees stood grim and bare, spreading
ont their great blackened branches without OBJ
devoid of life In my six-mile ride did not see
a single bird or living thing of any kind. The
township of Eaton has suffered terribly and the
loss of property has been great Near what is
known as Lily lake, a mere pond near the juno
tion of Bellevue, DePere and Eaton townships
stood Woodruffs mill, which is owned by one of
the finest typical young Americans 4 ever met
Harry Woodruff. His name will be remembered
as long as Brown county lasts. All along for
the past week Harry has been anticipating the
fires, and during that time worked like beaver
hauling water to his place, and then to his neigh
bors', who were a greater distance from the
sourceSo of supply. On Monday he left his house
with number of barrels of water for James
Clansen, German neighbor. Returning at
slow trot, he saw the smoke approaching and
whipped up his horses. SAT one moment" said
Mr.. Woodruff, ''there was not a Sign of fire.
Five minutes later 1t seemed as though the woods
all around were blazing" He started the
team toward home at mad gallop barely escap-
ing with his life. Then the fight with the fire
began. He wet down his house. barn and old
mill with water, of which he had laid in a good
supply and as the fire brands came around. ex,
'tinguished them. In less than an hour
the fire had swept on and left
him out of danger. He went to Clansen's
place to render what aid he could. House, barn
and wheat farm had been swept away and all
around were strewn the dead bodies of pigs,
sheep and cattle. Mr. Woodruff began the
mournful task of looking for the bodiesof the
family, but without success, when he heard
sepulchral cry and traced it to an old we'll which
contained about four feet of water. and Mr.
Clansen. with his wife and three children. were
found. The Clansens did not save dollars
worth of property, and had no insurance.
All through Eaton township similar tale is
told. Some farm sites are marked by dwell
ing which has been saved by almost supernuman
efforts, but not barn in the burned district is
left. Through the woods. miles away from the
farms are dead bodies OF cattle and other do
mestic animals, some burned to q crisp and
others with no sign of the manner of their death.
Ronkers and Charles Brockman bare
ly saved their lives and those of
their families. They lost everything
they possessed. John and Henry Soper AND
John Norcross lost all but their houses Most
Of the families IN this belt of fire have taken
refuge with friends: but one old German has
constructed kind of shanty out of half burned
logs. and is living on the remains of sheep
which had been killed ,.sby the flames. and
some provisions given him by charitable neigh
bors. The children, the smaller of whom
were almost entirely naked peered out of
the opening in the hut. The old man returned
my Good morning. in half-hearted way and
continued to smoke his pipe The poor woman
looked at me, and then. hiding her face in, her
apron, burst into fit of weeping, and she
rocked herself to and fro on the log on which she
was sitting. There was need ask arg
questions. The melancholy story WAS too / air.
Years of hard work to lay up little money
naught, and the hard-earned savings of years
drove back by another route through the center
of DePere and Bellevue townships Here the
loss was even greater than in Eaton. The in
habitants are for rather were. for it seems AS
though they had now deserted their townshps)
mostly Poles. who have carried no insurance,
and Swedes, who have something coming from
that source. In Bellevue township the devasta-
ton is complete and the suffering is terrible
Many of the burnt out people have been injured
in fighting the flames.
Some Rain, but Need More.
MILWAUKEE, Aug 14.-No immediate danger
now exists to the towns in northern Wisconsin
included In the track of the forest fires. HEAVY
rains fell in sections of middle and northern Wis