Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-09-04
To-DAY'S TELEGRAPHIC NEWS
The Western Fires.


LITTLE FALLS, Mimi, Sept. "A
forest fire destroyed Curtis and Gushing,
IS miles west of here Saturday. One
hundred persons are homeless but no
lives were lost. Communication has
been entirely cut off between Ontona-
gon and Claiming, in Michigan, with
this section since yesterday morning,
but it is believed that many of the lum-
Der camps in that section have been de-
stroyed.
MILWAUKEE, Sept. At Hermans-
vile, Mich, fierce fire is raging and
at the time the train came through
portion of the town seemed to be in
danger.
WEST SUPERIOR, Wis, Sept. A.
Nearly all those who survived the ter
rble forest fires in northern Mime
sofa have now been removed to places
of safety and as heavy rain has
quenched the flames there will be no
further casualties. Yesterday after
noon ffty-four bodies were buried at
Sandstone, most of them charred be-
yond recognition and were buried
wherever found. Not sign of a build
ing is left in the town. Around or in
the ruins of each house were found sew
eral human bodies. At Hinckley 32S
were lying in the streets. At Pokegama
there are % corpses. They are still
living unburied, the rest OF the people
having left the the place. 1t is impos-
sible to tell where Partridge was, as the
whole surrounding country is in ashes.
H1NcKLEY, Mimi, Sept. 4.-The
special train sent out by the citizens of
Minneapolis bearing supplies and med
ical relief to the suffering people Hinck-
ley and vicinity had on board eleven
physicians and surgeons with a full sup
ply of drugs and instruments and fifty
canvas cots. Pine City was the main
objective point for it was there
that the relief supplies were to be dis
tributed and the temporary hospitals
had been opened. Instead of 200
wounded to be cared for there were q
bare twenty and many of these had not
been seriously hurt. 1t was learned
that those at Duluth scarcely outnum-
bered those at Pine City. 1t was a
pitiful and heartrending spectacle, how
ever. The poor blackened blistered
faces, the burned and sightless eyes, the
parched and swollen lips, feebly moan
ing all the time, and the Damaged hands,
tossing in restless agony, to and fro,
made sight that might well weaken
the strongest man. All have thrilling
experiences to relate. Mrs. Matilda
Oleson, one Of the dangerously burned
patients, lost five children and her hus-
band, jumped into the river and man.
aged to save her own life. In another
instance mother and four children fell
exhausted and persisted. One man
crazed with fright and despair kissed
his wife goodbye and then deliberately
plunged headlong through the glass
window out into the flames. Two hun
dred dead bodies were found at Pine
City. A low estimate places the list of
dead in the burned districts between
400 and 500.
DULUTH, Mimi, Sept. 4.-The death
roll resulting from the forest fires in
creases and now over $50 are known to
b, lost, the greater number being wo-
men and children. In section 26
miles long and from to Is miles wide,
not human habitatlon has been left
standing, and in every part of the track
of the flames bodies of men, women,
children, horses and cattle were found.
BUFFALO, N. Y, Sept. FOREST
fires are raging in portions of western
New York. In Chautauqua county the
flames are sweeping through meadows,
woods and farms, reducing to waste
everything in their path. Pickets are
posted to announce the advance of the
fire but it's velocity is such that the
families have barely time to escape be-
fore their property is enveloped in
flames.
In Erie county forest fire is raging
and unless rain comes soon great damage
will be done. Farmers have turned
out in a body to plough the surround
ing land and endeavor to check the
progress of the flames.
DETROIT, Mich, Sept. 4.-Reports
from northern Michigan show that yes
terday's rain was general and that the
forest fires have been materially checked
where they have not been entirely ex-
tinguished. In the counties of Dickin-
son, Houghton and Ontonagon in Michi-
gan, and Florence and Marinette, Wis,
it is estimated that 7OO,OOO,0O0 feet of
white pire and hemlock have been
scorched.
K1LMANAGH, Mich, Sept. "A tract
of timber south of this village has been
burning for several days. Yesterday a
strong wind commenced blowing from