Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-05-11
FRIGHTFUL HAVOC.
Miles of Flames Devastating the
Michigan Peninsula.
RAGING OVER A DOZEN COUNTIES.


Many Towns Threatened and Several
villages Wiped Out The People
Forced to Take Refuge in the Lake
Superior Covered with a Pail of smoke
The Property Loss Enormous. but
No Lives sacrificed So Far as known
The Woods Ablsze in Pennsylvania
Again-Serious Gasoline Disaster at
Chicago.
DETROIT, Mich, May ia fire is rag
ing in the upper central counties of the
lower peninsula, the like of which has
never been known. The line of tho
flames reaches almost without break
from Mason county, on Lake Michigan,
to losco county, on Lake Huron. with the
forests of Lake, osceola, Glare, Gladwin,
Ogemaw and Altoona, where Gen. Alger
owns large interests, all ablaze. Another
fire OF scarcely less magnitude exists in
the upper peninsula. The incline of the
Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic rail-
road, through Marquette, Houghton, Ba-
raga and Ontanagon counties, is in the
path of the flames Two railroad bridges
have already gone on that line, and the
telegraph lines are in bad shape.
The Fire Threatening the Towns.
Fears are entertained that the fire will
reach the town of Meredith in Clay
county. TAFT township. in Iosco county,
is also in danger Saturday night the
flames swept into Oscoda and burned out
$500, 900 worth OF property. Two houses
aud :, 0OO, 900 feet of lumber were barned
g .1r
appeal for help has been sent to Alpena.
1t is feared the city will be swept away if
the wind shifts. Millions of acres OF pine
are burning Additional reports now
coming in show that a widespread dis
trict is devastated.
Lake superior Black with smoke.
A telegram from Marquette says: For
est fires are burning all over the copper
country. At the Osceola stamp mill sew
eral cords OF wood and the railway trestle
were burned. At Chassell several farm
houses and barns went up in smoke and
bridge was consumed. Lake Superior
from Marquette to Keweenaw point is
fairly black with smoke, and the fog
whistles are kept blowing constantly The
loss will be very heavy
Ishpemins Surrounded.
Ishpeming is surrounded by fire. but
there is no danger to the town. There is
mile after mile of fire along
the roadbed of the Chicago and
Northwestern railroad south of
Ishpeming and nearly to Escanaba. Tel
egraph poles and railroad ties are being
destroyed, and communication is likely TO
be cut off at any time. Nothing bat a
drenching rain of two days duration can
prevent tremendous damage
WateryiIIe nearly
Dispatches from Ludiugton state tina
Walkerville, a small town in Ocean coun-
ty, the terminus of Butler s. Peters log
ging camp, was almost totally destroyed
by fire Saturday. The hotel, stores, liv-
cry barn, saloons, blacksmith shops and
all but two dwellings went up in smoke.
Five hundred thousand hardwood logs
also burned. Fires are raging in the
woods over the country, and doing meal
cula bic damage. kItZlnger's mill at Free
soil burned Saturday.
Fires in Every Direction.
Another report says that Altoona, ten
miles from Morley. was rapidly burning
Saturday. Traverse City reports that
forest fires are raging in every direction
around that city Standing pine cord
wood, and much valuable hardwood lum-
Der have been destroyed Many farm
houses and barns IN the surrounding
country are threatened with destruction
and in several directions in the suburbs
of the town forces of men are fighting
fires to keep them from the village. I'm
less the present high wind goes down it is
feared much damage viii result. The
air is SO thick with smoke, ashes, and
cinders OF burned leaves that it j. difficult
to breathe.
The Havoc Under-Estimated.
LATER.-Each additional report from
the region of the forest fires shows that
the damage, instead OF being exaggerated,
has been under-estimated Morley, NJ
costa county, telecraphed yesterday that
Altoona, small village ten miles from
there, was ~ ashes. Big Rapid, Mecosta
county, reports that bad fires are raging
in several places in the county. A report
from Bear Lake, a small settlement in the
northern part OF the county, states that
several houses were set on fire by sparks
blowing m from the forest, fully half
mile away, AMI the people were driven
into the lake for shelter.
Two Settlements Wiped Out.
Harrison, the capital of Clare county,
has had twenty four hours of imminent
danger, and summoned help from Clare
and other village. Clinton, small station
on the Toledo, Ann Arbor and North
Michigan railroad, was wiped out Satur-
day afternoon. Wagner q Pierce had =, 90,
600 of feet logs and Hyde Bros 1000, 900
feet burned. Farwell was burned Satur-
day with ali the houses in the settle
ment.
ALSO RAGING IN THE EAST.
n