The herald., 1893-09-16
MILES OF RAVENOUS FLAMES
Northern Wisconsin One Vast
Field of Fire.
The Damage to Forests Amounts tC
Millions of Dollars.
Many villages Burned and Settlers
Homes Dostroyed-Not Since 1871
Has the Connsgration Been
Equa1ied.
By the Associated Press.

lQAtSO Illus UuihU0 Ia tAAo otaeC 90 law
ragged through Northern Wisconsin the
past few days. The extent OF the dam
age cannot be estimated, owing to the
fact that the fire has cut off telegraphic
communication with most of the smaller
towns. On timber the losses are, OF
course, the heaviest, and Frank McMil-
Ian, of the Mcmillan Lumber company,
in an interview tonight, said the loss to
Wisconsin forests from the recent fires
would probably amount to between
$5,000.000 and $4,000, 1000. This repre-
sents a vast amount Of pine as we'll as
hardwood timber. covering land area
which even those most familiar with the
forests OF Wisconsin cannot estimate. In
fact, it is scarcely exaggerated that all
OF Northern Wisconsin iH one smolder-
ing furnace, 80 complete is the line OF
fires which are raging fiercely between
here and Lake Superior. Where they
will end no one can say, but unless there
is rain in Northern Wisconsin within the
next 48 hours, even greater disasters
than have already occurred may be ex-
pected from the fires.
MarHhfield itself is entirely surrounded
by fires, and while not now in any i'm
mediate danger, reports are hourly
brought to the city by residents along
the different railways, OF terrible fires
raging and which have already made
many families homeless and destitute.
As yet no one has been found to confirm
the reports of losses of life from the
flames. That some settlers were cut off
by the flames and killed is very prob
able. Many persons escaped death only
after adventures OF most thrilling
character. On every side are evidences
of yesterdays battle with the flames.
in which the citizens of Marshfield had
hard fight to save the town. Several
buildings were destroyed in the out
skirts.
Reports OF terrible fires at Spencer and
Colby were received tonight. Just how
many families are left homeless by the
fires cannot be learned, but surely so.
Nearly all the residents between this
city and Mcmillan Yesterday packed up
their goods and moved to this city. and
settlers from other parts of the country
are fast following in their footsteps.
Reinforcements have gone to Mcmillan
from this city and Stevens Point, but it
is doubtful if they can save the mills,
which. with the lumber around them,
are worth $250,000. Southwest of the
city, ON the Omaha road, there is an
other fierce fire burning. and large
party OF men has gone from here to head
it off.
MARINErTE, Wis.,, Sept. 15.-The smoke
was go dense today from the forest free,
that the public schools had to be closed.
GREEN BAY, Wis.,, Sept. 15.-This
afternoon a terrific windstorm set in.
! The flames on the prairie northwest OF
McDonald's lumber mill in Fort Howard
increased in volume, and in less than 20
minutes the fire reached the lumber
yards and mill and destroyed them.
The loss is over $4,000. There is a
heavy gale of wind tonight, and it is
feared more fires will occur before
morning.
MILWAUKEE, Sept. Is. = Dispatches
this morning from score of Northern
Wisconsin cities tell stories of great loss
by forest fres. Marshfield Junction,
Dexterville, Prentis, Spencer, Medford,
Rhinelander, Stevens Point and other
places with population of from 1000 to
COCO are surrounded by flames and in
the greatest danger of being wiped out.
Everything between Dabier, Wood
county, and Necedah, Janeeu county,
on the Milwaukee and st. Paul railway,
is burned. Dexterville ls threatened
with humiliation. Hundreds OF scat-
tered dwellings known to be in the path
of the flames were doubtless burned.
the settlers in the burned dis
square mile of the vast tim
bercd district Of Wisconsin is as dry
tinder. The flames are sweeping with
out check. The losses will doubtless
run into the millions. The district al
ready fire-swept and that threatened
includes nearly one-third Of the state.
Wisconsin 10 overhung by a pail of
smoke reaching from Lake Michigan to
Lake Superior and from the extreme
western border of the state to the Mis-
sissippi river.
Near Merritt today two children of
Fred N'egge were burned to death by
forest fires.
MERRILL, Wis, Sept. 15.-The Pine
River settlement near here has been
wiped out. A score OF buiidings were
burned. The people saved themselves
by descending into wells, and covering
themselves with wet blankets.
MARsHFIELD, Wis.,, Sept. 15-Last
night, driven by terrific winds, two
great forest fires, one north, the other
south of the city, swept everything be-
fore them. Once the fire reached the
city limits, but bucket brigade stayed
the progress there. Powers station, two
miles north, containing a dozen 1ami-
lice, was wiped out. The inhabitants
barley escaped with their lives. Two
children of Frank Codil. it ia reportad.
wers suffocated. Mcmillan, five miles
east, was surrounded by fire, but be.
lieyed to be saved. Many settlers fam
lilies, arrived here, have lost everything.
Danger is believed to be past this city.
MILWAUKEE, Sept. 15.-Advicee at the
railway Offices here are to the effect that
the flames swept everything between
Babcock and Necedah, o distance of 20
miles. The country is sparsely settled,
go the danger is only to timber. The
fires are very bad around Merrill, Pine
River Height, Combs, Darcy, Knnkle's
Mills and Rudolph, all small places.
All hope oil saving the village of Nc
MILAN has been abandoned. The town
has population OF 500. The Mcmillan
milling plant is valued at $3.50, 900.
SPENCER, Wis, Sept. Is --Manville, a
village OF 200 inhabitants, has been de-
stroyed by fire. No loss OF life 10 re-
ported.
KANSAS CRY, Sept. ia telephone
message reports Liberty, No., as burn
ing up. The chief business portion is
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