Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-08-02
A FIERY FURNACE.
Re sistless Sweep Of Forest Fires
in Northern Wisconsin.
A Boatload of Residents of Phillips
Drowned While Trying TO Escape
from the Burning Town-Fif-
teen Lives Lost.
sroRY or rae DIsAsTER.

STORY OF THE DISASTER.
ASHLAND, Wis, July 30.-Loss of
property approximating S3,OOO.OOO and
heavy loss of life, the extent not yet
known, though at least fifteen persons
met death at Phillips Friday, is the
record of the forest fires which have
swept northern Wisconsin. II is al
most a certainty that some of the lone
homesteaders scattered throughout
the burning timber have persisted In
the flames unless they have in some
marvellous way escaped the suffocating
flames and smoke.
The Dead.
Those known to be dead are: Mrs.
David Dryden, two children of Mrs.
Dryden, Frank Cliss, three Cliss chill
dren, James Locke, Mrs. James Locke,
tnve Locke children, unknown woman,
body found in the ruins of f. w. Sack
ett's residence.
Estimate of Property Losses.
The losses now seem TO be:
The city of Phillips entirely wiped out
The city Of Mason practically destroyed, with
White River Lumber company and 1900, 900
feet of lumber.
Headquarters Of the Ashland Lumber COM
pany near Shores Crossing entirely wiped out
Special train Of the Chicago, st. Paul. Min
neapoliS & Omaha, consisting OF sixteen cars
burning bridge near Ashland Junction.
Camps Of Thompson Lumber company
burned at White River.
Two bridges on Wisconsin Central railroad
one near Chelsea. another near Phillips, both
on main line south of Ashland
These are the estimated losses, spe-
officially, SO far as known;
Lumber plants. 81 900 600
Phllips residents. ......-.-............l ,250000
Mason ......-.................... 10000
Thompson Lumber company, of Wash
purhe ..... ...,..-. ..-.........,.. 700
Ashland Lumber company ............ 5000
Shores Crossing residents ............. 1900
Two bridges G., st. p, NJ. & o. rail-
road: ......a... ........... 80. 10000
Two bridges Wisconsin Central. 10000
honesteaders. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $4,000
The Disaster at Phillips.
Phillips, Wis, July 31-Not since
the terrible forest fires destroyed
Peshtigo has anything occurred which
will compare with the scene Of ruin
here. Out of town Of 700 buildings
only twenty-seven are left standing.
1t is not vet known how many of the
5000 inhabitants of the town persisted.
Aid Arrives.
A committee of citizens from ASH
land arrived with a special train of
provisions Saturday night at o'clock.
1t was the first material relief to ar
rive and it arrived just in time to keep
the people from actual suffering for
want of food. The provisions were
given out in small quantities. so as to
make them last as long as possible and
keep something available until other
provisions arrive
More Loss of Life Feared
The entire northern part of the state
is sea of flame. The country is
dotted with the homes of farmers and
homesteaders and with lumber camps.
There is no doubt that hundreds of
these buildings have been burned,
while the fate of the people is in doubt.
1t is probable thatmany of them have
lost their lives.
Marshes Ablaze.
A special from Stevens Point. Wis,
says the continuous dry weather has
resulted in a number of forest fires
north and west of there. Fires are now
in the marshes within or n, les west
of the city, but by good work done on
the pert OF the settlers very lit
tie damage has been done The
hay crop is nearly all cut and
stacked upon the marshes, and
thousands of tons will be destroyed.
Desert Their Farms.
PRENTICE, Wis, July Si.-There is no
sign of abatement in the forest fires
which are raging around this city
The farmers from the country to the
west bring in reports of fires in their
part of the country and to the south.
The wind was not strong, but the fires
Travelled fast and at Il o'clock they
were dangerously near the city. but
they were kept off by gangs of fight
ers who worked persistently. Some of