The Indianapolis journal., 1893-05-22
Eight of the Unfortunates Plunge Into Shal.
low Well. but the Burning Timber Fell
In and Fairly Cooked Them.
Dreadful Conflagrations Near Lake City
and at Saginaw, Mich.
Loss Of 100000 at the Latter City. Which
Falls Mostly on the Better Class of Citi-
zsns-Scenes at the Catastrophe.


Terrible Fate of Lumbermen Trying TO Es-
cape from . Fire.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
LAKE CRY, Mich, May 21.-The loss of
life In the fire which destroyed Louis
Sands lumber camp. eight miles northeast
of here. yesterday afternoon, is greater
than supposed. Out of q Grew of sixty
men. forsy-nine escaped. Ten bodies have
been recovered, and the whole crew is now
accounted for. The dead are:
MICHAEL g. PAGEN, single.
CHARLES TAYLOR, single.
JAMES HUGHES, single
EDWARD RooRBACHER, married.
SAMUEL CAMPBELL, single and foreman Of the
camp
JOHN HILL, single.
FREDERICK 6AGER single.
two children living here.
FRANK sAHGREEN, single.
NIKE MULHoLLAND.
These ten men, with Edward Sulli-
van. were hemmed in at the camp by the
fire. A strong wind cut of ell escape.
Sullivan staEted north, in the face Of the
fire. and hY some chance escaped. He is
severely burned but will live.
Edward Roorbscher started east and got
about twenty-five rods away before
caught. Mulholland started west and got
about the same distance. The remain
ing eight stayed too long and took refuge
in q we'll about twenty feet deep. The top
curb Of the well burned and the timbers
fell on the men huddled In the hole, liter
ally cooking their heads the remainder of
their bodies being under water. A res
cuiDg party tried to get the bodies out Of
the we'll laet night. but it was caving so
that the effort was postponed until this
morning. when the recovery was effected.
A large of force OF men is still scourin &
the adjournlng country to make certain no
other unfortunate has been overlooked.
The camp employed sixty men and forty
nine were in the green timber. permitting
their escaped. The property loss is not
very great. Forty hogs three horses. the
camp buildings. tools, etc.. tells Mr. Sands
loss. The Thayer Lumber Company. operat'
| ing near by, lost eleven cars loaded with
logs in the same fire. The engine had to
laaye its train to make its escape.
| Another story says the men burned tc
| death were assembled at dinner. and the
| forest fire. which was BURNING all around
! entirely cut off all escape. When they
| realized their danger. and rushed out Of
the building il which they had been sit
| ting. the smoke so blinded them that they
became bewiliered. They ran hither and
thither. unable to find q means of escape
| Their horses stampeded and added to ths
confusion. Eight jun ped in the well to es
| cape the flames. and were suffocated AND
| burned to death. Their bodies were
brought to the surface to-day. Other
| Of the men rushed to the oods. and som,
| of them thus escaped. but the bodies of TIVE
were afterwards found burned to Crisp
| One man reached Lake City terribly
burned and died in fearful agony. This
| would make eleven deaths. Eight teami
| of horses were cremated. The bodies of th,
burned have been taken TO Lake City
where they await burial. Most Of the un
| fortuuates were strangers here and the
bodies will be shipped to friends wher,
known. The fire in the timber near tn,
camp of Blodgett. GUNNER & DigRins il
under control and no further danger ii
| feared there.