The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1894-09-08
DAMAGE BY FIRE.
Lumber Interests Suffer Great
Loss in Upper Michigan.
Forest Fires Threatened Several
MenomInee Range Towns
on Sunday and Monday.

on OunQdy ana MONDAY.
The damage done by forest fires In
various parts OF the upper peninsula
during the past ten days has been almost
incalculable. While the loss OF human
life and village and city property have not
been a factor oi the situation us il has
been in the terrible calamities OF northern
Minnesota, the damage to standing tim
ber, logging camps and equipments has
aggregated nearly as large an amount as
the pecuniary sum lost in those plnces.
On Monday last the situation along the
Menominee iron range was most threat
ening. At Norway the population was
compelled TO turn out en- masse and give
the fiery element battle TO save that
pretty little city from destruction. In
many other smaller towns along the
range the same conditions appeared and
people living near the outskirts OF the
woods had their household goods in
readiness for flight at any moment tho
situation became too dangerous TO allow
them to remain. Many thousands of
dollars worth Of standing pine has been
burned over in the vicinity OF Iron
Mountain, much OF which, il il claimed,
gives evidence OF incendiary origin.
While the timber is not totally de-
stroycd, il must be cut at once in order
Much Of this timber il owned by non
logging capitalists who had withdrawn it
from the market for speculative
purposes and il il surnised that in
many instances the torch was applied 20
compel the owners to cut the timber this
winter Whether or not there be truth
in this conclusion, il is certain that the
LOG cut this winter will be greatly in ex-
cess OF that anticipated a few weeks ago.
The forest fires along the line OF the Chi
cngo x Northwestern railway ragcd 80
furously ON Sunday last that train ser.
vice was seriously crippled. Consider
able damage was done in the way of
warped rails and in some instances the
ties took fire. The damage in the i'm.
mediate vicinity OF Crystal Falls during
the hcnt OF the fire was but small, owing
to the area covered by fire earlier in tho
scnson. The situation ut the Crystal
Falls mine was, however, very critical
ON Monday until the drenching rain in
the afternoon quenched the flames A
large force of men protected the property
during the forenoon, but would probably
have found their efforts inadequate to
battle with the flames later in the day
had the fire been allowed TO pursue its
natural course. Had the plant burned,
at lcnst $4,000 worth Of machinery
would have been destroyed and the
promised resumption at that property
would have been indefinitely deferred II
not entirely abandoned During the
forenoon OF Monday the flames APP
preached uncomiort,,bly near the village
limits in the direction OF Maple Grove
and n company OF the fire department
was sent TO check their progress. Had
the wind been as high as on the preceding
day much damage might have resulted.
The damage 20 timber on the Deer, Fence
and Nett rivers has been very great.
Thousands oi acres have been burned
over and every bit OF combustibe mat
ter consumed, leaving vast tracts OF
charrcd waste To mark the spot where
swamps and almost impenetrable
thickets lately existed. Probably never
before has fire accomplished so much
damnge in this section and certainly
never was life and property generally, in
greater peril here. Dense smoke still en-
yclops the locality, but IL is thought
that the rain OF yesterday completely
removed the danger for the present.