Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-09-06
TOWNS WIPED OUT.
Northern Wisconsin Swept from End
TO End by the Fire
ScOurge.

Chippewa Falls, Wis, Sept. 3.-North-
western Wisconsin is one immense
sea of flames and reports are COM
ing to this city constantly of
fatalities and deaths caused by the
great conflagration. The towns Of
Rib Lake, Marengo and Bradshaw have
been completely wiped out, and at the
latter place three people lost their lives.
Many others are missing and it is impossl-
BILE to estimate the extent OF suffering
by the inhabitants. Yesterday message
was received here from Cadott asking for
assistance. The town was threatened by
q fierce forest fire and the inhabitants
were almost panic-strcken at the con-
temptation of their imminent danger.
portion of the Chippewa Falls depart
ment was sent up and until 10 O'Clock last
night the 1900 inhabitants of the village
struggled to preserve their town from de-
struction. Several buildings on the out
skirts caught fire and were shortly re-
duced to ashes, but happily the fire was
prevented from spreading TO the others.
The citizens were greatly excited at the
prospect of losing their homes and prepa-
ratiOns were made for a hurried flight
in case the town fell a prey to the ele-
ment Wagons loaded with house
hold goods stood in the streets
and the scene was one OF III
describable confusion. At 10 o'clock
last night the fire had abated in the i'm
mediate vicinity of Cadott, and for the
present the village is safe. Almost two
miles away, in a dense forest which ter
inmates at the limits of the town, the
woods are one vast blaze, and the wind
is carrying the flames with great rapid
ity toward the town. This is Cadets
greatest danger and if no rain falls be-
fore this evening it viii be certainly
wiped out. The inhabitants realize this
fact and already quite a number have
taken refuge in this city, while the others
are prepared for fight on a moments
warning. 1t would be useless to stI.u@
gle against the mass of flames fast bear
ing down on the town, and as it reaches
the limits safety will be taken in fight.
Tie unfortunate citizens have taken ev-
cry precaution 10 preserve their house
hold effects, but their homes must be left
to the fury of the fire.
A dispatch received this morning from
Rib Lake asking for assistance stated
that the town is on fire and the people
are III danger 4 special train and fire
engine was sent up. The town contains
about 100 inhabitants and is situated in
the midst of Il dense forest where escape
is practically impossible.
No news has been received from the
party sent to the rescue OF the village
and fears are entertained for its safety.
Eau Claire, Wis, Sept. 3.-Wires to
points on the Northern division of the
Omaha have been down since last night
and information of the situation up north
is still lacking The last train from the
north on the Omaha reached here at 5
O'clock Saturday afternoon, and no trains
have gone out or III since except wreck
ing train sent from Eau Claire early
this morning. Railroad men say the
whole region from Cartwright to Rashaw
and Haugen has been on fire since
Saturday afternoon. Bridges are
burned and wires down and no
one knows when trains viii run.
Many people here are alarmed f,
the safety of friends and reativ.
who are hlockaded AT northern point
The Omaha train arriving here at 5 p. III.
yesterday, which came through Bashaw,
took twelve men. women and children
from the burned village to Rice Lake, the
conductor backing the train to get the
refugees after he had run through with
out stopping. The Northwestern Lumber
company has reports of fresh brea king
out of fires along the Eau Claire river.
One of the company SAID that they al
ready had 50,0O00O0 feet Of pine burned
on the Eau Claire and did not believe
there would be green tree left when
rain comes. One of the Eau Claire own
ers of the Barronette Lumber company's
plants says the loss there is $250.OOO. A
special from Cr3"tt says the village is
surrounded by FRS.
Eau Claire, Wis. SepE. o.-Word from
Cadott says the fires have been checked,
but there is still danger. Members of the
! nj | "a
adyiccs that Rice Lake is in 40 present
danger. The wind has generally been
from the southwest 1t is next to impos-
sble to obtain communication direct with
the smaller towns.
Spooner. Wis. Sept 3-The destruc-
ton of Rarronette was complete. One
lone building is left of 700 inhabitants.
One man was burned. The total loss is
81 quarter of a million. Shell Lake has
fifty-two dwellings burned With total
loss of $4,000. Three hundred and sixty
people are homeless and many are without
a dollar OF insurance. Deeds of heroism
are plentiful. One widow dragged her
typhoid-sick son from the house into
potato patch and there protected him from
the flames while the rest res Of the inhabi-
under control in this vicinity.
Turtle Lake, Wis. Sept. ;.-Turtle
Lake was threatened al day yesterday.
During the afternoon Il bad fire APP
preached the south side of the town,
famed by the brisk breeze which was
blowing all day. The entire male popu-
lation turned out and succeeded in saving
the town. At night the wind went down,
and though the fires lit up the skies in
all directions. the town was safe. Re
ports from the towns along the Omaha
line between Turtle Lake and Spooner
are very mea@er. a passenger train
went up to Cumberland about thirteen
miles north of here on Saturday night
and has been unable to proceed in either
direction. Granite Lake, Barronetta and
Shell Lake, the towns next north, We're
wiped out. and yesterday afternoon the
hamlet of Comstock eight miles north of
Turtle Lake and five miles south of Cum
herland. was destroyed. AT all these
lrned stations the tracks are burned
and warped and no trains can move. The
telegraph wires are practically useless,
though an attempt was made to get them
in shape yesterday afternoon. The Oma-
ha company loses many culverts and tres
Ties. All wagon road bridges are burned