St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-08-15
FLEEING THE FLAMES.
The Villagers in Northern Wisconsin Pass
Night of Terror and
Dismay.
A Sheet of Fire 100 Feet High Swoops
Down On the Already Stricken
Towns.
At the Last Critical Moment Rain
Averts the Threatened
Ruin.
A Mill Owners M ad GaIlop For Life
--Scenes in the Burnt
District.
The Forest Fires.

The Forest Fires.
MILWAUKEE, Aug. 14.-No immediate
danger now exists to the towns in north
Wisconsin included in the track of the
forest fires. Heavy rains fell in the sections
OF middle and northern Wisconsin, and
while not extinguishing the flames, sub
dued them considerably. In other places
the forests are still abaze. The people of
Stiles, Spencer and Colby spent night of
terror. Early during the evening of Friday
ire advanced suddenly toward that part
OF the village of Spencer not DESTROYED a
week ago. The sheet of flame is described
as having been over 100 feet high and
CREATING A ROAR
that could be heard for miles. The villagers
moved out in body, some fleeing to Ro-
meo. others camping on the territory
burned over Sunday. Wagon loads of
goods formed caravan to neighboring
towns. At Stiles similar scenes were en-
acted. People buried their effects to save
them from destruction. AS the people were
about despairing of saving the town showers
OF rain fell, early this morning. and averted
the apprehended catastrophe. Tonight
reports from all sections are more reassur-
ing. However, heavy and continued rains
alone will stay the destruction.
HOPING FOR RAIN.
GREEN BAY, Wis, Aug. 14.-All night
| long the fires in the northwestern section
| OF Brown county have been raging and the
ruddy section OF the flames has been paint
ing the sky bright red. The sole topic
of conversation here is the fires and the
probability of rain. Last night a breeze
| sprang up from the east. and hopes were
entertained that it would bring with it the
long-looked-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 had been almost constantly
obscured by the brown smoke. Your cor
respondent drove southwest 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
suffering from the drOuth 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 surrounding pine forests. The ground
in places was covered by the gray ashes of
the brush and leaves which had been con-
sumed, and here and there great sswind-
fall, !" as tree which has fallen down is
| termed.
GAVE OUT a RED GLOW.
A kick on the massive trunk sent up a
shower of sparks, and little flames darted
from the crevices in the log. The woods
looked as though nipped by an early frost.
The leaves on the oak and hickory trees
were brown and faded by the effects of the
heat, While in portions OF the woods, where
the hre has swept away the leaves and
small branches, the great trees stood grim
and bare, spreading out their great black-
ened branches without obscuring the rays
of the sun. The woods were devoid of
life. In my siX-mile ride I did not see
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. mere
| pond near the junction of the Bellevue
depot and Eaton township, stood Wood
ruff's mill. which is owned by one of the
| finest typical young Americans [ ever met,
Harry Woodruff. His name will be re-
membered as long as Brown county lasts.
All along for the past week Harry has
| been anticipating the fires, and during the
time
| WORKED LIKE A BEAVER
hauling water to his place. and to his neigh
bors, who were a great distance from the
source Of supply. On Monday he left his
house with number of barrels of water
for James Clansen, a German neighbor.
Returning at a slow trot, he saw the smoke
approaching, and whipped up his horses
cat one moment" said Mr.. Woodruff,
''there was not sign of fire. Five minutes
later it seemed as though the woods all
around me were blazing" He started the
team toward home at a small gallop, barely
escaping with his life. Then the fight with
| the fire began. He wet down his house and
barn and the old mill with water, of which
he had laid in good supply. and as the fire
| brands came around extinguished them. In
less than an hour the fire had swept on and
left him out of danger. He went to Clan
sens 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.
Woodruff began the task of looking for the
bodies of the family, but without success,
| when he
HEARD sEPULCHRAL CRIES
and traced them to an old well which con-
tanned about four feet of water, and Mr..
Clansen, with his wife and three children,
were found. The Clansens did not save a
dollars worth of property, and had no in
surance. All through Eaton township
similar tale is told. Some farm sites are
| marked by dwelling which has been
| saved by almost superhuman efforts, but
not barn in the burned district is left.
All through the woods, miles away from
the farms, are the dead bodies of cattle and
other domestic ANIMALS, some burned to
crisp and others with no signs of the man
ner of their death. Anton Borgordin, John
Shaffner, Peter Ronkers and Charles
Brockman barely saved their lives and
those of their families. They lost every
| thing they possessed. John and Henry
Soper and John Norcross lost all but their
houses. Most of the families in the belt Of
| fire have
TAKEN REFUGE WITH FRIENDS,
but one German has constructed kind Of
shanty OF half-burned logs, and is living on
the remains Of sheep, which had been
killed by the flames, and some
provisions given him by charitable
neighbors. The children, the smaller
OF whom was almost entirely
naked, peered out of the opening in the
hut The old man returned my ''good
morning" ID half-hearted way and con-
tinued to smoke his pipe. The poor woman
looked at me, and then, hiding her face in
| her apron, burst into fit of weeping as she
rocked herself to and fro on the log ON
which she was sitting. There was no need
to ask any questions. The melancholy
story was too plain. Years of hard work
to lay up little money against the coming
of old age had gone for naught and the
hard-earned saving of years. frugality and
labor had vanished in smoke. drove back
by another route through the center Of
Depere and Bellevue townships. Here the
| loss was even greater than in Eaton. The
| inhabitants are Tor rather were. for it seems
as though they had now deserted their
townships). mostly Poles, who have car
ried no insurance, and Swedes who have
something coming from that source. In
Bellevue township the devastation Is COM
plete and the suffering terrible. Many Of
the burned out people have been injured in
fitting the flames.