The herald., 1894-07-29
TERRIBLE FOREST FIRES,
Widespread Destruction in
Wisconsin.
The Thriving City of Phillips
Wiped Out.
Three Thousand People Rendered
Homeless.
Thirteen People Drowned While Trying
to Escape From the Flames-A
Destructive Confiagration
at Oshkosh.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PHILLIPS, Wis, July 2S.-Three thou
and people have bean made homeless
~ forest fires. Not building is lett
in town, and property valued
1t between 81, 500. 900 and $4,000, 900 has
oeen swept away. Hundreds OF men
Dattled with the fire without success.
Tho pine forests were dry ss 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 ignited and the atmosphere seemed
blazing. When the FIRE reached this
city it swept from house to house and
in an hour had wrapped the entire viii
lage In flames. People were hastily
by trains to neighboring
towns. Nothing but . few personal
effects was saved. There are rumors OF
loss OF life, but in the confusion they
cannot be confirmed. The heaviest
losses by the fire are those Of the John
R. Davis Lumber company, $3.50, 600,
and Fsyette Shaw, tanner, 5000, 900.
REQUEST FOR RELIEF.
WEST SUPERIOR, Wis, July 2S.-Mayor
Woodward today received the following
telegram from Phillips: "Our city en-
tirely destroyed by fire. leaving 5000
people homeless, without food or shell
ter. Please take steps to send relief"
FIRE REFUGEES DROWNED.
MILWAUKEE, Wis, July 2S.-Twenty
persons are reported drowned in the lake
at Phillips, while endeavoring to escape
from being burned to death by forest
fires.
WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION.
Reports OF forest fres in Northern
received today by railroad
ficials, show q serious condition of
unalrB, puv suvro was Promise OF nuavy y
rains during the day. Fires are burn
ing between Charming and Praimich, on
the Lake Superior division. Lumber
camps four miles west OF Charming are
destroyed. and Hres are run.
ming rapidly through the woods. Trains
are picking their way through the burned
sections slowly. -----.-.-..
RELIEF FOR IdE buff EHEnbs
A public meeting has been called to
take action for relieving the unfortu.
nate citizens at Phillips. Liberal re-
sponses will be made. The same state of
affairs exists at Maladore, Sherry and
other points west OF here, but all suf-
fered great deal lees than one year ago
from forest fires. The progress of the
fire 10 now comparatively slight.
THE DEVASTATED TOWN.
The Sentinel's dispatch from Phillips
says:
Thirty-nine buildings out OF 75 etand
and smoke and asheB on the site of what
was yesterday the flourishing city of
Phillips, the county seat of Price county,
and one of the wealthiest and most
prosperous of all the towns in the tim.
ber regions Of Wisconsin.
Three thousand people are homeless,
and except those who have been offered
shelter in the neigh boring towns, whoee
people will themselves pass sleepless
night through fear that the fires that
are raging in the forest on all sides will
sweep away their homes at any hour,
will have no covering for their worn-out
bodies tonight.
THIRTEEN LIVES LOST.
Worse than all, at least 13 people are
known to have lost their lives. The
dead are:
James Locke, butcher, wife and five
Frank Cliss, in charge of the dry kiln
of the j. h. Davis Lumber company,
q nd O.voor-oId ak;lJ
Mrs. David Dryden, wife of the fore.
two children. Mr.. Dryden was also cup.
tonight, having been away from the
city, only to hear that his family had
perished.
An unknown man.
All the dead were drowned In Elk
lake while trying to escape from the fire,
except the unknown man, whose body
was found in the ruins OF the house oil
Z. @. Sackett, editor of the Phillips
Times.
THE PROPERTY LOSS.
The property loss cannot at this time
be accurately estimated, but it will
reach at least 81, ,25O,0 600. The immense
plant of the John 4. Davis Lumber COM
pany is a total loss, amounting to be-
tween $780, 900 and 100000. On this
there is an insurance equal to
about four. fifths OF the value. In the
rest of the city, about half the property
was insured. Many OF the poorer peo-
pie carried no insurance on their homes.
and have lost everything. There were
many fine business blocks and private
and every one was burned to
,he ground. Many of the residences cost
upwards OF $4,000 each, and were hand
Iome for city Of this size.
FOUR GALES OF FIRE.
-Four gales OF fire, following each other
IS soon as one had accomplished it's
york OF destruction, cut four swaths
through the city, leaving standing only
he Lutheran church and some dwellings,
lear the southern limits, and freakishly
umping over the Worcester town hall
nd group of dwellings in the very
cart Of the burned district. A system
t water works which would ordinarily