The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-29
FURIOUS FOREST FIRES.
Three Towns in Wisconsin Wiped Off
the Face Of the Earth.

Mason Also in Ashes Many Set
Their All-Many Lives Reported
Lost.
Milwaukee, Wis, July 2S.-- General
Manager II. f. Whitcomb of the Wiscon-
sin Central road this noon made the fol
lowing authentic statement with regard
TO the forest fires in the northern part
Of the state Trains from the
south have reached the south end
of the Phillips yard. Trains from
the north have reached the first
bridge north of Phillips, about one mile
north of the station this bridge having
been damaged BY fire. Nearly the whole
city Of Phillips is destroyed including
the saw and planning mills and box
factory of the John X. Davis Lumber. Co.,
and Shaw's tannery About thirty
houses are left standing in Phillips.
"Aside from the homeless by the de-
struction of the city of Phillips, a great
many settlers along our liue have lost
their homes and all their belongings The
fires in the forests are still burning, but
some rain fell last night and the fires are
not spreading. The loss is estimated at
several million dollars.
The towns of Phillips, the county seat
Of pine county, Shores Crossing and the
village of Mason, in bayfield, county, are
wiped off the map. Phillips was town
of 3 200 inhabitants Most of these are
homeless. The loss at Mason will reach
81 600, 600 and thatat Phillips three times
as much.
"The entire northern portion of the
state, the lumber region, is full of forest
fires, which are doing immense damage
to standing timber 1t is reported that
many lives haves been lost but of these
no authentic reports have been received. "
sUcCoR FOR TIRE sUFFERERs.
! Milwaukee, Wis. II p. m. July 2S.-The
| total destruction by fire of the prosper
Gus town of Phillips, in Prince county, as
a result Of the devastating forest conha-
grafton during the week, brought quick
and generous responses to the appeals for
succor from all parts Of the Badger
| state to-day The bare news that
| 5000 men, women and children had
| been suddenly rendered homeless and
| destitute of the necessaries of existence
! was sufficient TO awake practical express
siOns of sympathy in which the state au-
! thorities and the business men of Mil
waukee were the leaders. The escape of
all the unfortunate victims from death OF
serious burning was considered most mira
culous when they were surrounded by
the flaming forests and build
ings of the town. The big ElB
river which runs through Phillips
afforded a haven of refuge to many of the
inhabitants. the destruction of Phillips
was followed by the prayedfor rain,
which soon quenched the forest fires
along the Northern Pacific, Omaha and
| South Shore roads, between West Supe-
rior and Ashland, as also the destructive
confagrations to the south on the line OF
the Wisconsin Central, and in the Michi-
gan peninsula in theGogebic range region
Fifteen carloads Of provisions, clothing
and tents are either in the hands of the
! Phillips victims, or will be tomorrow.
The reports from Mason, in Bayfield,
county, and Shores Crossing, which were
partly burned, show that the people are
not in want of the necessaries Of life.
THE GOVERNOR AROUSED.
Quartermaster General Auer to-day re
ceived the following dispatch from the
| governor;
the ST Paul depot, Milwaukee, at 1880 o clock
! Arrange for two or three cars on the Wtscon
sin Central road to send relief to Philips to-
night Buy 100 barrels OF -four and 200C
pounds Of bacon, hams, etc Buy 900 Ioaves
| OF bread. Get the things under way and we
| will arrange the rest on my arrival
GEORGE w. PECK.
The following dispatch was received by
| Gov. Peck from b. w. Davis, chairman
of the county board at Phillips, and re-
peated to Gen. Auer;
Phillips Wis. July 2s.-To Gov. Peck
| Send tents and blankets for 1000 people.
B. W. DAVIS
The following was received and read or
| change to-day:
Phillips, Wis. July 28.-Our city is entirely
destroyed by fire, leaving 900 people with
out food, clolhinR. or shelter Please take
b. w. DAVIS,
Chairman Relief Committee,
AN APAPEAL TO THE MAYOR.
MAYOR Rock received an appeal from
| Phillips, and Immediately notified Presi
dent Hansen of the Merchants and Man
ufacturers' Association, and call for q
meeting of that organization at II O'Clock
this morning was issued.
II was decided TO send three carload:
! of provisions, consisting OF bread, crack
ers. meat and other articles donated, on
the 5 30 o'clock passenger train over the
Wisconsin Central.
The first contribution to the Phillip:
! sufferers To-Day was Il CdElOdu Ol llOul
from the Milwaukee millers.
Reports from Phillips received at the
central Offices this afternoon state thaI
four carloads Of provisions have already
been received for the fire sufferers. Wau
sau. Ashland and Portage each sent
carload, while a carload OF meat in tran
sit at Fairfield was also turned over tC
the relief committee
Eight cars Of provisions are already OF
the road TO Phillips.
A SUMMARY OF TIE LOSSES
Following is a summary of the firt
| losses;
The city of Phillips entirely wiped out
The city of Mason practically de
stroyed, with the White River l5umbel
Company and 30,000,OOO feet OF lumber.
Headquarters OF the Ashland Lumber
Company near Shores Crossing, entirely
wiped out.
x special train Of the Chicago, St
Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha, consisting
Of sixteen cars and tno locomotives FL
burned, broke through the burning bridge
near Ashland Junction
Camps Of the Thompson Lumber com.
| pany, burned AZ White River.
| Two BRIDGES on the main line OF the
| Chicago. st. Paul. Minneapolis anC
Omaha railroad, one near Ashland June
tiOu and one near Mason.
Two bridges on The Wisconsin Centra
| railroad one 40 Chelsea, aud the Other
near phillips, both on the main line