The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-07-28
A BESOM OF FIRE
Sweeps Away the Town of Phil
lips, Wisconsin.
Twenty People Are Drowned in
the Lake.
SEEKING TO ESCAPE.
Three Thousand Persons Are
Homeless and Hungry
The Big Town of Phillips
BIOtted Out of Existence.


ty- persons are reported drowned in the
lake at Phillips, in endeavoring to es-
cape being burned to death by the for
est fires.
Destruction Of the Town
MILWAUKEE, Wis, July 2S.-A spe-
cial to the Wisconsin from Phillips,
Wis, says: Three thousand people have
been made homeless there by the forest
fires. Not a building is left standing in
the town and property valued at between
$1,5OJ,OOO and 100000 have been swept
away.
Yesterday the flames surrounded the
village. Hundreds of men battled with
the fire, but without success. The pine
forests were as dry as parchment, and
the flames leaped from tree to tree with
such rapidity that the air seemed on fire.
The baking soil sent up gas that ignit-
ed and the atmosphere seemed to blaze
When the tire reached the city it swept
from house to house, and IN an hour had
wrapped the entire village in flames.
The people fed to Midway where trains
were standing and they were hastily con-
veyed to neighborIng towns Nothing
but few personal effects were saved
There are rumors Of loss of life, but IN
the confusion they cannot be confirmed.
Families are separated, some members
having been taken TO one place and
others to another town, and it is lmpOs-
sible TO learn whether or not all have es-
capped The heaviest losses by the fire
are those of the John r. Davis Lumber
company. $5OJ,OOO and Fayette Shaw a
tanner $~OO,OOO.
GOV. Peck Sends Tents.
Governor Peck. who is in the city
today, has been asked to send tents to
Phillips To shelter the homeless children.
and he will comply with the request at
once.
Insurance men here are at a loss to ac-
count for the complete wiping out of the
town, because, they say, there il very
complete wafer supply and IRE appara-
tus in the town. There is a good sized
lake adjoining Phillips from which wat
erways extend throughout the village
and a pump stationed at the mills of the
Davis company, which Is capable of
throwing enough water to food the town
on short notice.
In addition the town owns a large
amount of hose and ire apparatus and
the only reason for the reported COM
pleteness of the fire, as considered by in
surance men, Is that the fire broke out in
"A bad locality and spread so rapidly that
they could do nothing with it.
Leading insurance men estimate that
the companies at the present time hold
policies in the town of Phillips alone to
the amount Of about $25O,0OO, which will
prove nearly total loss. A few days
ago the leading companies paid to
n
Phillips the sum Of $39, ,7SO35 on losses
sustained by fire at that extensive plant
on June 10, which destroyed the COM
pany's dry kilns, their contents and one
extensive planning mill.
Nows From stevens Point.
A special to the Wisconsin from Stew
ems Point, Wis, says the continuous dry
weather has resulted in many forest fires
north and west of there.
Fires are now in the marshes within
two or three miles west of this city but
by good work on the part of the settlers
very little damage has as yet been done.
The hay crop is nearly all cut and stacked
upon the marshes and if sufficient quanti-
ties of water TO extinguish the fire can
not be had the fire will destroy thousands
of tons.
In some instances farmers have been
obliged to use every eXertion TO save
their fences, barns and homes from de-
passed until they are favorable TO the
element. The big bar below PiOver
which comprise several thousand acres
is also threatened and those who have
hay there are endeavoring to save il.
Fully had Rzporied-
3P. M-The heavy loss of life reported
at Phillips from the fire is confirmed. 1t
is estimated that between fifteen and
twenty-five persons we're either burned
to death or were drowned in their efforts
to escape from the flames that destroyed
the town.
The only refuge from the fire was the
lake, and hundreds of people fled to the
water to avoid death in the fire In
rushing in the weaker ones fell down or
were carried into the deep water and
perished-
Others, overcome by the heat and
smoke fell in the streets and were burn
ed to death where they lay.
The operator sending the news from
Phillips tapped the telegraph wire in the
woods and with a board for a table and
the earth for seat sent his message with
a pocket telegraph instrument