The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-07-28
FOREST FIRES RAGING.
Several Wisconsin Towns Have
Been Entirely Destroyed.
Forty Million Feet Of Lumber
Burned at Mason.
GREATDANGER TOLIFE
4 Train Of Sixteen Cars Con-
sumed by the Fire.

ASHLAND, wis. July 2s--Forest
fires are producing great suffering
and loss throughout this vicinity, and
railroad companies have never before
experienced such damage from fires
On the Wisconsin Central railroad it
is impossible to move trains Phillips,
the headquarters of the John
r. Davis Lumber company.
manufacturing town of $500,
is destroyed by FIRE and only
q few buildings re main standing. A
dispatch just received from Fiheld,
small station few miles this side OF
Phillips, says that 500 women and
children from Phillips are in the
woods there without shelter. They
sent a request for food and supplies
as the supply at Fifeld is very short
The train that started from here last
evening was obliged to return as the
bridges are totally destroyed a few
miles south. Communication with
Fifield is now shut off and it is feared
that town is also on ire.
Along the Omaha line the fires are
raging with terrible ferceness-
Shores Crossing, a little village eight
miles west of Ashland, was destroyed
yesterday afternoon, not q building
remaining standing and the homeless
families were brought to Ashland
The railroad bridges near there were
destroyed, and at o'clock yesterday
afternoon fast Omaha freight
and sixteen loaded cars were
entirely burned. Both the engineer
and 6remen were injured, and the
brake men are missing Loss to cars
and freight many thousand dollars
Mason, a small town south of the
Omaha line. caught fire yesterday af-
ternOOn. The White River Lumber
company's mill, with 10000, 900 feet of
lum Der in the yards. was destroyed,
81 z 80 1saf. -
ceived here, says the entire town was
threatened.
The Omaha bridge across the White
river at Mason Is burned Railroad
officials say the loss at Mason : fully
81 900, 600. with $3.50. 900 insurance.
HOmesteaders in the outlying dis
tricts are all fleeing into the nearest
towns, leaving their homes to the
fury Of the flames. So far no loss of
life Is reported The fire department
is carefully guarding the outs de
limits Of Ashland and the city is not
in any immed ate danger.
News from Hurley states that town
has been envelOped in a dense cloud
of smoke all day, with fires on nearly
every side
At Medford, what is known as Pow
ellis Mills, eight miles west of here,
sent word this morning asking for as
sistance on account of forest fires.
The hand engine was dispatched at
once with teams and one 100 men
went to the rescue, and arrived none
too soon to save the mill and residence
for the time being. Small farmers in
the vicinity moved their families and
what little they could gather on a
wagon and came to the mill site
For two hours yesterday afternoon
$50 men, women and children were
confined on five acres of ground, sur
rounded by one seething mass of
flames, and one must sec a forest fire
to realize how much danger there is
with sitting couds of smoke, and all
communication or means escape cut
off. 1t was case of pump or take to
the mill pond.
Live stock is dying by the side of
the road, burned to crisp. Great
fears are entertained for a dozen
farmers who live northeast of Powe1ls
Mills, whose one road or exit is sur
rounded by fire. Word has been re-
ceived here that six families between
Chelsea and Rib Lake were burned
out
Extensive fires are running in the
woods and marshes north and west of
Grand Rapids. The cranberry marsh
of DIR. Witter was burned and much Of
the extensive Spaford marsh has
been destroyed The fire is very near.
the city of Centralia. Great volumes
of smoke are rising on heavy wind
Thermometers indicated as high as
LOG in the shade yesterday