Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-08-12
A WHOLE TOWN In RUINS.
Forest Fires Visit the Town of Spencer.
in Marathon County.
Churches, Schools, Stores and Resi-
dences Swept Away by the
Flames.

A dispatch from Spencer, this state, on
Sunday, says: At about u O'Clock to-day
the fires that have been raging in the
woods for some days, with the assistance
of a stiff southwest wind, caught in the
sawdust in the village limits, which was
a warning for everyone to move out and
everyone did move out at once, without
waiting to carry much of their property,
for there was no time to lose. There was
very great excitement as it was seen that
the town was doomed. The flames rapid
ly swept through Clifford's lumber yard.
taking in his mill; thence to the depot
and the principal business portion of the
village, destroying two-thirds of the
town.
The heaviest losers are the z. A. Thayer
and w. j. Clifford's mills, and about
100000 feet of lumber; j ohm Gardiner,
general merchandise and postoffice; Hall
& Sons, planning mill; Meils Bros, hard
ware; Staltnow's saloon and music hall; p.
J. Bresnahan's saloon; Burnside & Co.,
groceries; the High school building, the
Catholic and Methodist churches, the
Necedah Lumber cOmpany's warehouse
and large number of residences. The
fire is still burning tonight, but it is I'M
der control. The loss is estimated at
100000.
The fire is a great blow to the village.
1t is impossible to get information re-
garding the insurance as yet, but that
will fall far short of the loss. Every eff
fort is being made tonight to take care
of the people who have been burned out
of their homes and lost their all in the
great conflagration.
THE FIRST REPORTS.
The news first sent out concerning the
extent of the forest fires, last evening,
was that the towns of Spencer, Colby and
Prentice had all been swept away and'that
hundreds of men organized as bucket
brigades were desperately combating the
flames in Marathon and Clark counties.
Subsequent advices were of more reaS-
surfing, but nevertheless, of a sufficiently
serious nature. While the extent of the
destruction at Colby, Prentice and vicini-
ty was mentioned as being comparative
ly smaller than first reported, the town of
Spencer was stated to have been entire
ly reduced to ashes. During the evening
kilograms reached the Wisconsin offices
that the entire business portion of the
town was burned out, including its saw
mills and planning mills. The depot
building and the water tank belonging to
the railroad were also consumed, and the
track was damaged so that trains were
delayed several hours. The extensive
lumber yards were completely destroyed
The damage done by the confagration is
to be placed at between 100000 and
100000.
From Colby it was reported that the
town of Colby has suffered, but the dam
age was apparently insignificant. con-
ductor on train that passed through
the region of the fires reported that a
camp of workingmen at the crossing of
South st. Marie road, south of Prentice,
was being moved out of the way of the
fire, and would probably be slightly dam
aged.
The Western Union Telegraph COM
pany's wires at Spencer, Colby and other
points in the vicinity went down with the
fires, so that no direct report of the ex-
tent of the fires had been received at the
company's office in this city up to late
last night, when our correspondent sue
ceeded in getting a short dispatch
through.
Telegraphic advices received at the st.
Paul railway offices reported extensive
fires on the Wisconsin Valley division be-
tween Tomah and Wausau. The fires
were caused by the extreme heat. A
heavy wind caused the flames tospread
rapidly, and at last accounts they were
burning fiercely.
SPENCER AND COLBY.
The towns of Colby and Spencer are
located within few miles of each other
on the line of the Wisconsin Central, near
Abbotsford. Spencer is town of about
1000 inhabitants and is one of the best
villages between Abbotsford and Stevens
Point, its business interests being chiefly
in the line of lumber. 1t has been looked
upon as a growing place. 1t is located In
Marathon county, 1879 miles northwest of
Milwaukee and A miles southwest of
Wausau. 1t contained previous to the
fire two saw-mills, woOd-turning factory,
several fine churches, graded school and
a music hall with a seating capacity of
600. The principal shipments are lum-
Der, lath and shingles.
Colby is a furnishing town on the
dividing line of Marathon and Clark
counties. Owing to its geographical
situation it contains two postoffices, that
on the east side of the railroad track
being known as East Colby and the one
in Clark county simply as Colby. During
the past two years many substantial
stores and dwellings have been put
up.
The village contains a Catholic and
Methodist church, eleven schools, two
hotels, eighteen stores, two saw-mills, one,
Touring mill, one planning mill, soda
water mandatory, tanning mill manu-
factory, two blacksmith shops, public
library, and hall with a seating capacity
of 500. Lumber, lath and shingles are
the principal shipments. The population
is about 800.