The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-09-22

--Ilomelcas Mothers with Their Babes
Fleeing from the Fiery Element-iaigh
winds Driving the Raging Flames BE-
fore Them.
MARsmrIEIp, Wis, Sept 14.-For
many days forest fires have ragged in
cessantly In this vicinity, burning
many cords Of wood and much lumber
and property of settlers, but to-day,
famed by gale from the west, the
flames were ut their worst, and tonight,
In binding smoke, score OF families
are homeless and mothers with their
little ones are fleeing from the fiery ele-
ment to this city.
Word was received here Mt ? o'clock
this afternoon that Powers station, ut
which place there is battery of coal
kilns, was on Are. The station is two
miles north of here on the Wisconsin
Central road.
A posse of men attempted to so
there to render assistance, but the
binding smoke drove them back.
while those who reached this city from
the switch reported that the homes OF
Joseph Barth, Frank Swickok, Balls
Barth, Jos. Robot, Frank Kurth. Tom
Gaffney, Pat Powers, John Puppy.
John Hyland and several other fam
lilies, whose names could not be learned
had lost everything. barely escaping
with their lives. A brick-yard was
also burned.
Alta o'clock the fire had gained this
city's limits but was met by every male
citizen. who battled manfully and sue
ceeded in keeping it out.
Reports are being brought in hourly
by smoke-begrimed people who live
near here of settlers who have been
burned ont. The whole country seems
to be on fire.
An estimate of the loss cannot be
made at this time, but it will reach
many thousands, with but little insur.
ance.
A message was received Mt O'Clock
from Mcmillan. five miles west of here,
asking for help, saying that the town
was doomed unless help came. \ spe-
cial train has been sent from here to
take the families from Mcmillan.
The telegraph wires between this
place and Spencer, on the Wisconsin
Central, are down. A passenger train
due here at 7:20 p. IN. reported the
bridges burned north of here. The city
is under military control. 1t is night
long to be remembered in Marshfeld.
A long dispatch from Black River
Falls states that stiff breeze has been
blowing to-day, tanning the flames in
the burning timber near that city, and
tonight the city is surrounded by four
fires. 1t is feared the fires will spread
near enough to this city 70 destroy
property. The damage to timber will
be extensive.
At Merrill, Wis, high wind has
been raging all day, which has famed
the smouldering forest fires into flames,
and but for the fact that the wind is
going nearly west the city would be in
farms and property has been done.
The Pine River settlement is threat.
ened with total destruction. Already
several farmers have lost their all
there. The same also applies to the
settlements south of this city. The
woods are all on fire, and no estimate
can be made as to the total damage
done. No lives have been lost SO far
as known.
At Depere, Wis, the place is filed
with smoke from forest fires west OF
that point. The smoke is said by old
residents to be as thick as during the
Peshtigo fire.
At Oconto, Wis, the atmosphere If
black with smoke from the forest fire.
No rain has fallen for two months, and
the surrounding country is as dry as
bone dust.
Desdwood Threatened with Dsstruc
tiOn.
DEADwooD. s. D.. Sept. 1.-THE for
est fire which has been threatening
this city for the past three days ha'
tonight assn med the form of imminent
danger. 1t is now burning tract q
very heavy timber mile distant ant
coming straight toward the town
Everybody has turned out and is en-
gagged in cutting down trees and en-
deavoring to check the flames, so fal
unsuccessfully. The fire is gaining
steadily. At 8 o'clock tonight all thu
firemen were ordered back to town
and only citizens were left to fight thu
fire. Entire destruction of the city il
threatened.
HGarshneId and Junction City Burning.
MILWAUKEE. Sept. Is, 1880 a. M
telegram Just received at the Wiscon
sin Central railway train dispatcher
Office says Marsbfield and junction
City are burning. Marshfeld is on tn
main line of the Wisconsin Contra
railway in Wood county. and has pop
ulation of 5000. It Is a numbering
: town and considerable furniture Il
manufactured there. Six years ag'
the town was almost wiped out b.
fire.
Destructive and lll-Timed Prairie Fires
GUTHRIE, Okla, Sept. IA mai
coming in from Payne county state
, that prairie fire has been raging II
the Pawnee reservation for twenty
, four hours, burning everything befor
. IL. Scores Of horses and cattle belong
, ing to the Indians have persisted ant
the grass and tree foliage is all dc
. stroyed, which will cause additions
} hardship to the settlers who go Il
a. nj "a to.