The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1888-08-29
THE FIRES IN SWEDEN.
An Appeal to The Charitably Disposed.

A calamity, whose consequences are
likely to be more lasting than those
of the floods of central Europe, the
earthquakes of Italy, or the great
Chicago fire, has befallen Sweden.
The vast northern forests of the
country, its glory and its chief means
of wealth, were attacked by fire in
June, long stretches of valuable tim
Der land were laid bare by the flames,
and several hamlets, towns and cities
destroyed. Prominent among the
latter were Sundsvall and Umea, To-
Gated on arms of the gulf of Bothnia,
cities that obtained their charters
from Gustav II. Adolf, the one 1924,
the other in 1922, and which de-
pended mainly on their well built up
traffic in lumber, iron and fish.
Sundsvall, with a population of H.
600, was known as the most active
lumber market in Europe, and from
its busy wharves were shipped con-
siderable share of the 1,150,000OOO
cubic feet of wood annually felled for
expectation in the forests of Sweden.
In this city the blaze burst out sud-
denly at noon of June 25. A severe
north-westerly storm prevailed, fire.
brands were hurled onward with ter
rife speed, and within a few hours
the merry saw mills, the quaint and
tasteful dwellings and public build
lngs were smoldering mass of ruins.
Umea met with similar fate.
The loss of property is estimated at
81, 100000 crowns, and no less than
IA 900 people have been made wand
erers on the face of the earth. 1t is
said that the number of those who
perished in the flames is not great,
but the misery among the living vic
Tins of the disaster is almost beyond
estimate. Without homes to shelter
them, without food and clothing, de-
prived of every comfort and necessity
of life, they will die by the score if
speedy relief be not afforded them.
The case is desperate one. Insur-
ance companies are powerless to meet
the demands made upon them,
the lumber trade of the vicinity is
hopelessly destroyed for the present,
the results of two centuries of toll
were swept away in day, the rich
have become poor, and the people
are utterly without hope that the i'm
mediate future can restore the pros
perity of the past.
King Oscar of Sweden and Norway
and the king of Denmark immediate
ly headed subscriptions for the aid
of the sufferers, which by latest ad-
vices amounted to some few hundred
thousand crowns, but under the pres
sure of the hard times prevailing in
these countries, it is not to be eX-
pected that very considerable sum
can be raised. 1t is a most curious
fact that as yet but little has been
| written or said in America concerning
a tragedy which would have filled
columns of our newspapers had it
been enacted in Ireland or Germany,
but when the sorrowful story becomes
fully known liberal helping hand
will unquestionably be extended
from the new world to the stricken
inhabitants of the burned regions of
the old.
The following is a vivid pen pict-
ure by an eye witness, after the last
fires in Sweden:
1T is a dark and singular sight.
Thousands of chimneys show where
the city had been situated. Ruins
all around. Here and there in the
middle of the summer one sees num-
berless leafless trees, where they have
not been burned to the ground. A
gravelike silence rests over the place.
Not a human voice, not a twitter of
the birds always else so numerous i'll
this part of the country, is heard;
only the silent murmur from the river
sounds like funeral song through
the former lively valley.
Here and there stands a group of
men, women and children looking
with despair on the place where yes
terday their happy homes stood. One
is almost moved to tears to see this
fearful destruction OF human happi-
ness, and the future must indeed be
gloomy one. For the present the
unfortunates are lodged in outhouses
and such buildings that are partly
saved. 1t seems as if the finger of
Providence had interpcsed in saving
a couple of school houses. These are
also used as lodging places. Where
all this mass of human beings will be
housed before the winter sets in is
problem to be solved, and to be solved
by charity. Can the world be silent
before these scenes of destruction.
and despair"
To the above little need be added.
Those of our readers who can spare a
trife to aid the distressed in the old
country, can leave their contribution
with AUGUST DANIELsoN, who is au-
thOrized to receive it, and who will
promptly forward it to the official
agency for aid to the unfortunate
1 l.