Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-07-18

De able 10 look after the needy with
out calling on any one except citizens
of Alpena and those who do business
here.
We noticed one garden OH the edge
of the burned tract, where the fence
had been torn down to prevent the
fire spreading. The garden produce
had been uninjured. but several cows
that ought not to be allowed to run
at large, were busily engaged in MAX
ing that garden another ruin.
One ofthe temporary fire companies,
consisted, in addition to the regular
firemen, of three newspaper men, one
minister of the gospel, one of the
owners of the water works, a mill
owner and number of other citizens
whose usual business we did not learn.
The fire department worked nobly.
Fire after fire was put out at the COM
mencement of the confagration, but
when dozens of fires began to rage at
one time, no fire department could
control them. The fire boys then
used their efforts to keep the fire from
moving sideways to the business part
of the city and keeping it from Gill
christ's mill. They did all that men
could do.
For the two weeks ending July 9th,
as shown by the records in the u. S.
weather Office at this city, only four
hundredths COD of an inch of rain
fell. The result of such dryness,
during the hot season of the year,
was to leave everything in an ex-
tremely infamable condition. A
spark was sufficient to cause fire.
Many of the families burned out
had got their winters supply of wood
piled in their yards
We cannot speak too highly of the
services rendered by the ladies of
Alpena, who established headquarters
at the rink, where they collected fur
niture, clothing, bedding, etc., which
they distributed among the sufferers
from the fire, and the noble work is
still going on.
BY Saturday the city had recover
ed from the alarm caused by the fire,
and business was booming as usual.
The mills were in operation, vessels
were being loaded with lumber, and
nearly every branch of industry was
in motion. A stranger arriving in
the city would hardly have suspected
that large slice of the city had been
converted into ash heaps, and over a
thousand persons homeless. This city
is full of life and energy, and will re-
quire much larger calamity to re-
press the business activity of the
citizens.
The loss Of Warren & Macdonald
was principally in patterns. on which
there was no insurance. Their Office
was burned down.
Besides the press messages the tel
egraph officials here handled 304
messages the day after the fire. The
press messages that day must have
contained at least 5000 words.
The steamer City of Alpena arrived
while the fire was raging at its worst.
There were Alpena people aboard
and from TIE mouth of the bay the
city looked as if it was all on fire.
The steamer had to land at one of
the mill wharfs on the bay shore as it
was too dangerous for her to enter
the river.
The express was unable to reach
the depot Wednesday on account of
fire about the "Y."
A human jaw bone laying amid the
ashes of ruined building attract
ed large crowd Thursday. A con.
stable was placed on guard, doctor
was brought to examine it, all sorts
of opinions were freely expressed
regarding it. Shortly after it was
discovered to be part of the parapher.
maria of secret organization.
Photographs of the burnt district
can be obtained at Nicholson & Van
deventer's. Six different views to
choose from. Get one before it is too
late.
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