The morning call., 1893-09-16
SWEPT BY FLAMES
Wisconsin Covered With
Black Smoke.
DAMAGE DONE BY FIRES
One-Third of the State Swept by
Flames and All It's Forests
Threatened.

MILWAUKEE, Sept. 15.-Dispatches this
morning from score of Northern Wscon-
sin cities tell stories of great loss by
forest fires. Marshfeld, junction City,
Dexterville, Prentice, Spencer, Medford
Rhinelander, Stevens Point and other
places, with a population of one to six
thousand. are surrounded by flames and in
the greatest danger of being wiped out.
Everything between Dabier, Wood County,
and Necedah, Janeau County, on the
Milwaukee and st. Paul Railway has been
burned. Dexterville is threatened with
annihilati0n.
Hundreds of scattered dwellings. known
TO be in the path of the flames. are doubt
less burned. No loss of life is reported,
but that all the settlers in the burned dis
trict escaped is impossible.
Every square mile of the vast timbered
district of Wisconsin is as dry as tinder,
and the flames are sweeping onward with
out check.
MARsHFIELD, Wis, Sept. 15.-Never
since the fire of 1871 have such terrible
forest fires burned in this State as have
ragged through Northern Wisconsin during
the past few days. The extent of the dam
age cannot be estimated, owing to the fact
that the fire cut off telegraphic communi-
cation with most of the smaller towns,
but on timber the losses are, of course,
heaviest, and Frank Mcmillan of the Nc
MILAN Lumber Company. in an interview
tonight, said: 1.-THE loss to WiSconsi
forests from the recent fires will probably
amount to between S5.OO0,0O0 and So
0O00OO."
This represents vast amount of pine
as we'll as hardwood timber. covering
a land area which even those most
familiar with the forests of Wisconsin
cannot estimate. In fact it is scarcely an
exaggeTation to say that all Of Northern
Wisconsin is ona smodering furnace, so
complete is the line of fires which are raw
aging the forests between here and Lake
Superior. Where they will end no one can
tell, but unless there is rain in Northern
Wisconsin within the next fOrJy-eight
hours even greater disasters than have
already occurred may be expected.
Msrshield itself is entirely surrounded
by fires, and while not now IN any immr-
date 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 who can confirm the reports Of
losses of life from the flames, but that
some settlers have been cut off and killed
is very probable. Many persons escaped
death only after adventures OF the most
thrilling character.
On every side are evidences of yester-
DAYS battle with the flames, in " hich the
citizens OF Marshfield had hard fight to
save the town. Several buildings were
destroyed on the outskirts
Reports of terrible fires at Spencer and
Colby were received tonight
Just how many families are left home.
less by the fires cannot be learned, but
surely there are fifty. Nearly all the resi-
dents between this city and Mcmillan YES
terday packed up their goods and moved
to this city, and settlers from other parts
of the country are fast following in thei!
footsteps. Re-enfOrcements have gone to
Mcmillan from this city and Stevens
Point, but it is doubtful if they can save
the mills, which. with the timber around
them, are worth $3.50, 200.
Southwest of this city. on the Omaha
road. there is another fierce fire burning
here to head it off.
MERRILL. Wis, Sept. 15-The Pine
River settlement, near here, has been
wiped out. A score of buildings were
burned, The peo Dle saved themselves by
descending into wells and covering them
selves with wet blankets.
SPENCER, Wis. Sept. 15.-Mannville, a
village of 200 inhabitants, has been de-
stroyed by fire, No loss Of life is reported.
MARIENETTE, Wis, Sept Is. - The
smoke was so dense to-day from forest
fires that the public schools had to be
closed.
GREEN BAY, Wis, Sept. 15.-This after
noon terrific windstorm set IN the prairie
fires northwest of McDOnald's lumber
mill in Fort Howard Increased in volume
and in less than twenty minutes the fire
reached the lumber-yards and mill and
destroyed them. The loss is over $50, 900.
There IS heavy gale of wind tonight,
and it is feared more fires may occur be-
fore morning.
WAUsAU. Wis, Sept. 15.-A terrible
windstorm passed over the city this after
noon. unrOOfng buildings and tearing
down lumber piles. scattering the lumber
IN every direction. prostrating shade trees
aud creating general havoc People rushed
for their homes in great horror, and for a
time 1t looked as though the town would
be swept out OF existence either by fire OF
the fearful storm. Forest fires still rage
around the city without abatement.