Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1892-07-28
BAY CITY In ASHES,
FIRE DESTROYS THE GREATER
PORTION OF THE CITY.
Thirty-Slx Blocks burned TIP and Ono
Thousand People Homeless 1t Ia
Feared Many Lives Have Been Lost
The Loss Enormous.

BAY City, July e7.--The most disas-
trous fire that ever visited Bay City
broke out at 3 o'clock yesterday after
noon in the lumber piles south of Mil
Ter ~ Turner's mill at the foot of
Thirty-hrst street and ragged for five
hours almost unchecked. Over thirty
six blocks of the city were completely
destroyed, entailing loss of 81 zoe, 900,
leaving 800 families homeless, and, il
is feared causing the loss of several
lives One womanis known To be dead
at this time
The dead, SO far rs known:
MASON, MRS, Frank and her two childre,
burned.
The flames spread with frightful ra-
pidity, and II general alarm was rung
in at 2:05.
The wind was blowing gale from
the southwest, and under its influence
the fire went through dry frame struc.
lures like whirlwind. In some in
stances the flames would leap over
three or four buildings and catch on
the roof of house and then burn
backward, destroying all intervening
residences.
1t swept across the street in n twink
ling, and the clouds of dust seemed To
aid in its spread.
1t was thought by Chief Harding
that the flames could be checked in
fremont avenue, but an attempt in
hnt "A
less to imperil the lives of the iircmen,
SO the Chief removed his line of attack
to Twenty-pinth street, aud SO well
directed were the movements of the at
lacking force that check was made
here.
Huge lumber piles to the north of the
mill We're by this time adding fresh
fuel to the flames and the fire spread
steadily north on Water street.
On the west side of the street the
fire held undisputcd sway and con-
tinued it's destructive course until
pile OF shingles to the south of Cousins
& Co. s mill was reached. Here fire
boat was stationed and with the
streams from the West Bay City and
Saginaw steamers the fire was stopped.
The flames were not checked in their
eastern travels until they reached the
tenth block back from the river, and
for large portion of this distance
everything for width of four blocks
was destroyed. Along the river front
the flames extended distance of six
blocks, sweeping away mills and lum-
her with great rapidity. 1t is csti-
mated that at least $4,000, 900 feet OF
lumber has been burned, two churches,
twenty-five or thirty stores and con-
tents, and between 400 and 500 homes
are In ruins. The wind carried the fire
with such great rapidity that few PEG.
pie saved household goods and many OF
those who did remove their effects
failed to take them beyond the reach
of the flames.
The territory between Twenty ninth
and Thirty-sccond streets for nine
blocks from the river front is in ashes.
This includes Fremont avenue and
Thirtieth and Thirty-frst streets, or
thirty-six blocks in all.
All this terri y was thickly built up
with wooden buildings, mostly the
homes of the employees in the mills and
factories in this vicinity. Besides the
lumber mill property and bushes
places destroyed on Water street, il /
estimated that fully 300 dwellings are
burned and that l 900 people are home.
less
Al oh tatn
Flint and Detroit. the Detroit train
bringing an engine and hose cart from
that city, n miles, i'm two hours and
five minutes.
The scenes during the progress of the
fire were most exciting. People were
panic-stricken. The fire spread so rap
idly that but few were able to save any
of their household effects and IL is
feared many lives IRE lost, but as far
as can be learned Mrs. Frank Mason
and her two children are the only ones
who have persisted. She went into the
house to get her children and In an in.
credibly short time the building was
in flames. They were not seen TO come
out.
Some of the heaviest losers are f.
Reynolds, shoe store, $1,000; q. G.
Beebe, drugs, So, 500; Gardner &c Laird,
furniture and stoves, $1,000; Slower q
Larlin, hardware, 1000; Miller e.
Turner, mill and lumber, $3.50, 900; Mil
ler's lumber yard, $4,000; BrislSe &
Forcia, general store, $4,000; A. B.
Gould, hotel and five houses, $1,000.
There are hundreds of losses unobtain.
able now which will amount to
from $500 to S., 900 apiece.
The loss to Miller & Turner will
probably be Sl5O,00O, which is covered
by insurance.
The common council met last night
and took action toward the immediate
relief of the 300 homeless families An.
other fire in the afternoon burned two
drill houses at The Pitts e Cranagcs
mill. Loss, $1,000; insured.
The entire loss will reach upwards of
81 100000, but it is impossible to learn
yet the extent to which different par
ties are insured.