The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1893-06-24
AN OCEAN OF FLAME.
Miles of Northern Wisconsin Forests Burn

Miles of Northern Wisconsin Forests Burn
ing Like Dry Under.
ASHLAND, Wis, June 19.-All the
morning heat from the surrounding
forest fires gave the winds torrid tenn
pcrature. Reports from Iron River at
noon report losses much larger
than first reported The town is
surrounded by wall of flames, but
large force of men including help
from the Ashland fire department is
still fighting the flames. They have
plenty of hose and water and will like
~ save the town. Hessey & Hat
tens large warehouse, the new
school house, church and four
residences were burned. One man
named Dctch had his leg broken. John
Mcagher was also sufiocated and died
while fighting fire at his homestead near
Moquah. The remains were brought
here this morning. He was promi-
nent e. A. K. man and a lumberman.
The bridge on the Wisconsin Central
at MincrsvilIe, near High Bridge,
burned, and all trains are running
around by way of IronwoOd, on the
MelIen branch of the Lake Shore.
Sanborn, small numbering town on
the Duluth, South Shore d Atlantic
road, was entirely wiped out. Two
children of a hOmcstcader near there
persisted. One bridge nearly 800 feet
long burned. Trains are now running
through Ashland via the Omaha and the
Lake Shore. At Saxon reports this
morning state that much more damage
was done. The woods were also swept
by fire and another bridge was burned,
So that trains have to be transferred.
Wires on the Omaha and the Central
railways are all down and telegraph
poles are burning like finder.
At White River over 900 acres Of
standing pine are ablaze, making rcgu-
lar sea of flames. Fourteen cars Of
charcoal burned on the track at York
siding. The railroads all sent out spe-
Clal trains this morning with men TO
fight the flames. special returned
from Iron River this morning and report
ed the fire entirely under control there
and that the loss there will not exceed
$4,000. Fire near Washburn is APP
preaching rapidly and the peo-
pie have sent for help. The
weather here has been very dry
and forest fires were never known
to spread as rapidly as now. The
great masses of green Norway timber
seem to burn like straw and the total
losses will run well into the millions.
4 flood of flames was seen all night
sweeping south from Ashland and the
greatest apprehension Is felt for home
steaders living in the MarengO district.
There is no communication with there
and it is impossible to acertain how
many lives have been lost.
The towns Virginia and Mountain
Iron, in Minnesota, on the Mcsaba
Range, are burned. 1t is said 1000 peO-
pie are homeless there.
At RoylestOn, on the Great Northern
road, the water tank was burned. Sew
cral small shacks occupied by railroad
men and lumhermen were also burned,
rendering many people homeless.
Forest fires are raging turiously all over
the Superior district
DULCTH, Mimi, June l9.-The first
train bearing refugees who escaped from
the mining town of Virginia, in all
about 80 people, mostly women and
children, arrived in Duluth at 80
this morning, and the wearied,
hungry passengers hurried from
the coaches to the baggage rooms,
where elaborate lunches were spread.
OF all the crowd the greater portion
were pcnniIcss and dependent absolute
" upon what charity might offer. Few
had saved anything beyond the most
m"a@cr effects and for the whole train
load there was but single
trunk The crowd could not stop to
talk. Sandwiches, coffee, anything to
eat disappeared faster than it could be
supplied. They had little or nothing to
eat during the day. The houses burned
like finder and the whole town
was in ruins in less than an hour.
7 "a" terrified people gathered
about the MrEaba depot where the ON
GERS of the road were doing everything
for thcir safety. \ train of ore cars
was backed into the depot and the peo-
pie loaded in. All the way down the
train came through a lane of fire. AM
other trainoad of about 200 people from
the burned ont towns on the Mcsaha
Range reached this city at noon. A
numhar Of fatalities are reported but
confirmation of the reports is lacking.
y couple of actors went back after their
wardrobe in a burning theatre and have
not been seen since \ woman who
tried to rescue her child was also miss
Ing and ii is feared will have persisted.
Many have been injured.