Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-08-09
THE FOREST FIRES.
PittsviIle Narrowly Escapes the Fate
of Phillips. Load of Hay Burned
while Moving. County Enshroud=
ed i'm Smoke.

been quite general the past week and
heavy losses to hay and cranberry
marshes have been sustained in many
directions, but especially in the western
portion.
Our neighboring city of Pittsville,
population about 500, sent dispatch
Monday afternoon about 2 o'clock
saying that the town was burning and
calling upon our fire department for
help. A special train was at once made
up on the Green Bay road consisting of
a fiat car and caboose, and in an hours
time our city engine, firemen and many
citizens were landed at the scene
for action. Babcock, Dexterville,
Mather and Arpin also sent crews of
men to the relief At IL a. m. the fire
was more than mile to the southwest
of the city but brisk wind or gale
arose and Ill a short time the flames had
reached within IA few feet of the lumber
yards and mill of Assemblyman w. P.
Wheelihan on the west side of Yellow
river and the city. They were making
a direct line for the business portion of
Pittsville and here desperate fight
was made until assistance came. Two
or three times the men almost gave up
in despair considering the city doomed
but when told that help would soon
arrive worked with redoubled energy.
The mill hose, small pump engine and
water pals were their only implements.
A dense smoke separated earth and sky
nearly suffocating men while working
and alarm and excitement was general.
Many of the families and stores had
their goods loaded in wagons ready to
move, while furniture and other things
were scattered along the river bed.
When the Grand Rapids steamer
arrived flames were fairly under control
but the crews of men were about
exhausted and could have held out but
a little longer. Our engine did splendid
work and the big stream fairly showed
over slab piles and lumber in its anxiety
to quench the flames. Our sturdy
firemen worked hard and with good
grit in the awful smoke and in an hour
had things all their own way, though
many head aches and sore eyes
resulted. They threw water however
until 8 O'Clock to thoroughly drown the
embers.
In the yard was piled the entire
winters cut of lumber in Wheelihan's
mill-about ?! million feet. Had it
once got good hold there no power could
have stopped its Onward course and the
fate of Phillips would have befallen
Pittsville. Fire caught two or three
times in the Wood Co. Mfg. Co.'S plant
but was quickly put out. One alley of
timber was the only loss in the lumber
yards.
The homes of Chas. Longwitz, Nels
Smith and VIM. Hagana, on the west
outskirts of town were burned with
furniture, hogs, chickens and all. Mr..
Vile. On the whole it was small loss
from so dangerous an element and no
man could be better pleased than was
w. 2. Wheelihan over the splendid
efforts and work done on all sides. The
fire engine arrived home about II
O'Clock that night. Fires have given no
further trouble in that vicinity.
The C. NJ. & St. P. R'y Co. have an
extra large force of men patroling the
track through the cranberry districts
above and below Bearss' Marsh. This
precaution is taken on account of the
extreme dryness.
Mcmillan Leader.-The Green Bay
has experienced considerable trouble
with running fires between here and
Grand Rapids for the past two weeks.
Switches, ties and a culvert was burned
at Waterbury, and ties, wood and other
property along the track in many places
destroyed. With hard work the villages
Of Hatfield and Pray were saved, but
they received a very close call, and eX-
element ran high for time.
Bert Ostrom, farmer in the town of
Armenia, Juneau County, while hauling
load of hay off his hay marsh Tuesday
passed over a recently burned piece of
marsh in which there must have been
some fire remaining from which a spark
flew and set fire to the load. 1t was all
he could do to unhitch his horses in
time to save them from burning up.
The wind was blowing and famed the
fire so that it completely enveloped and
burned the load and wagon in a few
seconds.
Report was received here this week
that the forest fires had set fire and
burned nine cars loaded with lumber
and one engine on the Goodyear branch
of the st. Paul road at Mather. 1t
appears that the fire had burned over
the track and warped the rails so that
when the engine and nine cars were
being hauled to the main track the
engine run off the track and the whole
train was destroyed before help came.
The loss by forest fires this summer is
great if an itemized account could be
rendered.
Wait for Prof. Hirschberg.