Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-09-23
TANNED BY HIGH WINDS.


Many Towns In Danger
MARsHFTELD, Wis, Sept. 16.-North-
ern Wisconsin is one smouldering fur
mace. The line of fires which are raw
aging the forests between here and |
Lake Superior is complete. Where they !
will end no one can say. Unless there |
is rain in northern Wisconsin within |
the next forty-eight hours even greater |
disasters than nave already occurred |
may be expected.
Marshfield itself is entirely sur
rounded by the fires and, while it is
not now in any immediate danger from
the flames, reports are hourly brought
to the city by residents along the line
of the Wisconsin Central, Milwaukee,
Lake Shore IL Western and Chicago,
st. Paul, Minneapolis 81 Omaha rail
ways of terrible damage along those
lines.
Many families are home sess and desti-
tute. And yet no one has been found
who has been able to confirm the re-
ports of losses of life from the flames.
That some settlers have been cut
off by the flames and killed is
very probable and in another day
or two proof of the death of many
persons may be obtained. So far all
who have been reported as missing,
however, have been located. Many
persons escaped death only after ad-
ventures of most thrilling character,
and some of the stories of the refugees
who are hourly driving in from the
country to this place Of their escapes
from the flames are dramatic.
Tho Frn 10 tho cipna +hot ~
1871. The extent of the damage can
not be estimated owing to the fact that
the fires have cut off telegraphic com
munication with most of the smaller
towns. On timber the losses are the
heaviest, and Frank Mcmillan of the
Mcmillan Lumber company IN an inter-
view said the loss to Wisconsin forests
would probably amount to between
$1,000, 900 and SG,000,O00. This repre-
sents vast amount of pine as well as
hardwood timber, covering n land
area which even those most familiar
with the forests of Wisconsin cannot
estimate
On every side are evidences of Thurs
days battle with the flames. The citi-
zens of Marshfield had hard fight to
prevent portion of the city from be-
ing swept away. The fire came from
the northwest, and sweeping its path
through the timbers it wiped from eX-
istence six houses and an old mill owned
by Henry Sherry at Manville. Two of
the houses were owned by Mrs. Michael
Powers, widow, who barely escaped
from the house with her four children.
John Miller, neighbor, saw the flames
approach her residence and rushing To
the house warned Mrs. Powers, who,
with her little ones, rushed to a neigh
boring hut in a plowed field in which
they found shelter. From Manville the
flames blew eastward toward the city,
wiping out several houses at Sherry's
crossing. From there they crossed the
road to this city, where the fight was
made by the citizens. On every side of
the town forest fires are now burning,
and n heavy gale has given an added
danger to the hames.
OF all the fires the one which sur
rounds the planning mill plant of Frank
Mcmillan at Mcmillan, little station
miles west of here, on the Milwaukee,
Lake Shore & Western road, is the most
dangerous, and at present it seems
as though the plant is certainly
doomed The plant has a valuation
of $780, 900 and is insured for sos, 600.
For three weeks now the mill has been
guarded by men fighting the fires.
Only Il narrow railroad embankment
separates the plant from the fire, the
sight of which, roaring and cracking
in the forest, is sight of awful
grandeur.
Business is demoralized and railroad
travel made dangerous by burned
bridges and trees falling across the
tracks Several additional families
who lost their homes Friday have been
brought to town and the Woman's
Christian Temperance union has
posted notices for aid for the
sufferers. One woman and fam
ily, whose house burned, took
refuge in an old shanty and more dead
than alive they were rescued several
hours later by n searching party. They
protected themselves from the heat and
smoke by the use of wet blankets The
people who have come in from the
burned district report that all along the
road the carcasses of horses, COWS, oXer
and pigs can be seen.
At Merrill Wis, reports are pouring
in from all directions, telling how the
disastrous fires are leaving death anc
destitution in their wake. In the towns
of Pine River and Scott, eighteen fami
lies have been rendered homeless
Swope's sawmill in the town of Pine
River was completely burned. 1t wa
valued at S25, 900 and was insured fo
$4,000. At Powers station fifteeI
families were burned out, the people
barely escaping with their lives.
Forest fires in the vicinity of Mari
nette are causing considerable alarm
The smoke there was so dense that i
was necessary to close the publi
schools. The fires are burning close t,
the city. The agent at Babcock say
that cranberry and hay marshes hav
been burned over at Tomah and Wor
den. Advices from several villages ol
the Milwaukee & Northern railroa'
say that the people are fighting tn