The morning call., 1894-07-28
IMPOSSIBLE TO RUN TRAINS.
Cars Burned on the Track and Train
men Driven From Their Posts
by Heat.

ASHLAND, Wis, July 27.-Forest fires
are producing great suffering and loss
throughout this vicinity, and railroad CON-
panies have never before experienced such
damage from fires. On the Wisconsin Cen
trail road it is Impossible to move trains.
Phillips, the headquarters of the John r.
Davis Lumber Company. manufacturing
town Of 2500 is destroyed by fire and only
few buildings remain standing. A dis
patch received from Fifeld, a small station
few miles this side of Phillips. says that
800 women and children from Phillips are
in the woods without shelter. They sent a
request for food and supplies, as the sup
ply at Fifeld is very short. The train that
started from here this morning was
Obliged to return, as bridges are destroyed
few miles south. Communication with
Fifeld is now shut off, and it is feared
that town is also on fire,
Along the Omaha line the fires are rag
ing with terrible fierceness. Shores Cross
ing, village eight miles west OF Ashland.
was destroyed this afternoon, not build
ing remaining standing. The homeless
families were brought to Ashland. The
railroad bridges near there were de-
stroyed, and at o'clock this afternoon a
fast Omaha freight train and sixteen
loaded cars were entirely burned. Both
the engineer and fireman were injured and
the brakemen are missing. Loss to cars
and freight amounts to many thousands
of dollars.
Mason, a small town south. on the
Omaha line, caught fire this evening. The
White River Lumber Company's mill,
with 4,000.0 900 feet Of lumber in the yards.
was destroyed, and at O'Clock. the latest
report received here. says the entire town
is threatened. The Omaha bridge across
the White River at Mason is burned.
Railroad officials say the loss at Mason is
fully S1.0O0,000, with S250,00O insurance.
News from Hurley states that the town
has been enveloped in dense clouds of
smoke all day, with fires on nearly every
side.
GRAND RAPIDS. Wis, July 27.-Exten-
sive fires are running in the woods and
marshes north and west of here. The
cranberry marsh owned by DR.. Walter
was burned, and much of the extensive
Spafford marsh has been destroyed. The
fire is very near the city of Centralia.
Great volumes OF smoke are rising on
heavy wind. The thermometers indicated
as high as 106 in the shade to-day.
DULUTH, Mimi. July PA heavy rain
is falling tonight in Duluth and all the
surrounding country. 1t has already put
out in a great measure the forest fires
about Duluth and will have its effect on
the Mesaba Range and to the west.
Chiffon. Wis, July PA fire has
broken out in Hilbert Junction and
threatens to destroy the village. An en-
gine and 100 men have just left by special
train.
MEDFORD. Wis, July 27.-What is
known as PowelPs Mills. eight miles from
here, sent word early this morning asking
for assistance on account of forest fires.
The hand engine was dispa ched at once
with teams and 100 men went to the rescue,
and arrived none too soon to save the mill
for the time being. Farmers in the
vicinity moved their families and what
little they could gather on a wagon and
came to the millsite. Fer two hours this
afternoon $50 men. women and children
were confined on five acres Of ground, sur
rounded by one seething mass of flames.
Live stock is dying by the side of the road,
burned TO a crisp.
WASHINGTON. Ind, July 27.-Destruc-
tive prairie fires are raging between this
city and Fort Wayne. For two or three
days they have been burning over several
thousand acres of wheat and oats. Whole
families are out fighting the flames.
SPOKANE, July PA Spokesman-Re-
view special from Kaslo, says: Losses so
far reported from the awful forest fires
raging throughout the mountains of this
section aggregate about S125,OO0. The
people of the Sloan district are left desti-
tute without shelter or food A relief
party has gone there, but il is feared there
will be great suffering before it pushes its
way through the burning forest. Fires
had been burning around the ill-fated
towns for several days, but about noon a
roaring gale swept down the mountain.
lifting high in the air tops and limbs of
burning trees and carrying them
long distances as brands to start new fires
in thousand different places. Almost
instantaneously doZen fires were raging
in Three Forks. The terror-stricken peo-
pie had to fee for their lives, leaving
everything behind th5m. The proprietor
of a laundry and bathhouse and his wife
jumped into the creek and rolled down
stream until they reached a place of
shelter. At Bear Lake Mr.. Mahoney. who
ran hotel. with his wife and two small
children waded outinto the waters of the
lake and remained there for hours. 1t is
almost certain that number of lives have
been lost among the prospectors.
The Total loss at Three Forks is about
S65. coo; at Watson about $4,000; at Bear
Lake S25 900.
operator at Watson, and Frank Price.
who was on the North Fork of Carpenter
Creek, have perished.
BIG FIRE IN BENICIA.