The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1894-08-01

mouse ana ecnOolS ana ABOUT 1OU dWell-
ings went up In smoke. 1t is estimated
that from fifteen to twenty lives have.
been lost, the victims being either
burned or drowned in the lake in their
attempt to escape, So far three bodies
have been found and the ruins are
being searched for others. Over 1900
persons are without shelter, food or
clothing. A relief committee, headed
by B. W. Davis, has been organized.
The condition is terrible and many are
without maintenance. Seventeen per-
sons are reported drowned in trying to
cross the lake in boats. A portion Of
the drowned are children.
The destruction at Mason was re-
ported to have been total, but later ad-
vices state that the plant of the White
River Company, together with the
yards and four houses, were burned.
Houses of the town proper are still
standing. The loss will probably reach
about 100000 at Mason. Trains on the
Omaha road were headed off at Mason
by the burning of the bridge near there
and all coming north returned to
Spooner
To briefly summarize, the fires have
burned as follows: The city Of Phil
lips, entirely wiped out; the city Of
Mason, practically destroyed, with the
White River Lumber Company and S0,-
900, 900 feet of lumber; headquarters of
the Ashland Lumber Company, near
Shores crossing, entirely wiped out; a
special train on the Chikago, st. Paul,
Minneapolis 6 Omaha, consisting of
sixteen cars and two locomotives, all
burned, broke through the burning
bridge near Ashland Junction; camps
of the Thompson Lumber Company,
burned at White river; two bridges on
the main line of the Chicago, st. Paul,
Minneapolis & Omaha railroad, one
near Ashland Junction and one near
Mason; two bridges of the Wisconsin
Central railroad, one at Chelsea and
the other near Phillips, both on the
main line south of Ashland.
BELLE PLANE, Ia, July 80. The cry
of fire was heard throughout the town
late Saturday afternoon. The citizens
soon had the fire apparatus out, but
owing to the engines steaming slowly,
the flames, which had started in the
roof of livery stable and were famed
by strong west wind, had leaped
across the street into the business part
of the city and were soon beyond the
control of the firemen. 1t was impossi-
BILE to stop the spread of the flames
with the apparatus on hand and tele-
grams were sent to Cedar Rapids and
Tama, but by 8 o'clock the entire busi-
ness portion of the town with the ex-
ception of three buildings, was in
ashes, Over sixty buildings and bust
ness concerns were burned out with a
loss of $3.50, ZOO.
/ FORT WAYNE, Ind, July 20.-The big
oil tank works of s. f. Bowser & Co.,
in this city, were totally destroyed by
fire Saturday right, entailing a loss Of
100000 and throwing nearly 100 men
out of employment. The fire was dis
covered in the immense ware room
which was stored with an immense
! quantity of infammable material. In
short time it communicated to the
/ workshop which was soon wrapped in
flames. From the start the fire was
beyond all control and in an. hour the
whole establishment was in ruins. The
insurance amouts to about $40, 900. The
works will be at once rebuilt.
Frank Magner, a laborer, was In
stantly killed by picking up broken
telephone wire which had fallen across
an electric trolley wire. When his
wife, who was in poor health, heard Of
the death of her husband, she was com
pletely prostrated and soon expired.
Chiffon, Wis, July 3o.-Fire de
stroyed nine buildings at Hilbert Sat
urday morning, including the st. Pau
depot. The high wind blowing threat
ened the destruction of the town. As
sistance was rendered by the firemen o.
this city.