Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-08-28
In THE r WOODS.
Sad scenes and Destitution in the Fire
Swept District.

CHICAGO, Aug. IA correspondent who Is
making a tour OF the Surnt district In Wis
consin, telegraphs from Oconto, Wis: The
scene from the Northwestern train between
Fort Howard and Oconto j. a desolatc one. A
week or SO since the land was thickly wooded
up to the line OF the railroad. Now there Is
not q living tree left standing. Last Monday
the flames swept down through this country,
licking no brush and dead trees and killing
live ones which were too green to burn. A
week Of dry weather put these now dead trees
IN better shape To make food for the flames,
which during the last few days have for the
second time this season swept the
woods. Hundreds Of acres are laid
waste, the trees lying PROSTATE on the bed OF
ashes which covers the grolnd. Every puff
Of wind that blows fans up the fame from
these smoldcring trunks, which will burn for
a month unless a heavy rain eXtinguishes the
fire In them. 4 stone thrown a. random In a
broad field Of gray ashes sends Up a shower OF
sparks, and the high temperature shows that
the very ground is on fire. The singular
thing about these forest fires Is their ~tcnacity.
Farmers say that even after TIE heavy rain,
which has pul out The fires in the timber, they
have dug into the ground and found it on fire
to the depth Of two inches. | saw one driec
up slough in which the ''muck'' earth formed
a bed Of living fire for the depth Of a foot.
North of Nelp, and extending northwest for
a dozen miles, the woods in Suamico county
are all ablaze, and, dried up by the first fire,
are now burning like finder. A flaming brand
is caught up by the wind and hurled into a
hitherto untouched patch Of woods. 1t lies
Smouldering for a few minutes. then a tiny
fame steals up a small dead sapling. Its leaves
catch fire and shoot up through the air into
the surrounding branches with a crackle and
a roar. The flames shoot UP in "A broad belt,
seizing ON everything and creating a draftlike
that Of a blast furnace. The more they burn
the more fierce they become, and from a spark
an inch broad, In one short minute, there is a
belt of fire a hundred yards vide, sweeping
through the woods with the speed Of a race
horse.
The damage so far will. in Brown county
alone, aggregate nearly 100000, and 1t will
cost the relief committee ia the ncighborhood
OF $4,000 to help the sufferers, who have lost
not only their homes and property. but also
their means Of subsistence for the coming
year. The proposed relief consists OF erecting
houses for the sufferers, furnishing them
plainly, and giving a supply Of fuel, food and
clothing for the coming winter. Then in the
spring they will need seed and some of them
horses. Fortunately, few OF Il @ farmers have
lost their horses AID cattle, although many of
the latter are slTering from burned hoois.
The burned out people also need hay and
ced. 1t is estimated that 1t will cost 500 "A
head for men, m and children TO keep
their until harvest time next year.
The burned out families in Eaton township
alone number twenty-seven. In Bellevue,
Depere, Lawrence and Ash Waubenon there
arc about sixty families who will need more
or less assistance. The people of Green Bay
and all the larger towns are hard AT work get
ting together clothing and supplies. EScur-
sions and concerts are being given and private
contributions OF money and clothing are com
inc in. Citizens OF the county are hopeful
that they can &c; along without outside aid,
and will not call for il unless it is absolutely
needed.