Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-07-29
THIRTEEN LOST THEIR LIVES
While Trying to Escape From the
Fierce Flames BY Way OF the
Lake-Three Thousand People
Houseless and Hungry, Sleep
ing in the Ashes With No Gov
ering But the Sky Keller
Measures Taken.

or Phillips, the county seat Vi it'N0
county, and one OF the wealthiest and
most pros porous OF all the towns In the
timber regions OF Wisconsin.
Three thousand pet pie are homeless
aud except those who have been Of
fered shelter in the neighboring towns,
whose people will themselves pass a
sleepless night through fear that the
fierce fires raging In the forests on all
sides will sweep away their homes al
any hour, will have no covering Tor
their worn out bodies tonight worse
than all, at least thirteen people are
known to have lost their lives.
THE DEAD ARE:
James Looks, butcher, wife and five
children.
Frank Cliss, In charge OF the dry
kilns of the John r. Davis Lumber
Company, aud two-year-old child.
Mrs. David Dryden, wife OF the fore
man ST the Fayette Shaw Tannery, and
two children, and one unknown man.
All the dead were drowned In Elk
Lake while trying TO escaps from the
fire, except the unknown man whose
BODY was found in the ruins os house.
The property loss cannot be accurate
" estimated, but 1t will reach at least
$780, 900.
The immense plant Of the John Il.
Davis Lumber Company is total loss,
amounting to between 100000 and
5000, 900. On this property there Is an
Insurance equal to least four-hfths
the value OF the plant. On the rest OF
the city about half OF the property was
insured. Many of the poor people car
ried no insurance on their homes, ana
they have lost everything. There were
many fne business blocks and private
residences in the city, and every one
vas burned TO the ground, ~
Four gales Of fire following each other
and as soon as one had accomplished lts
work of destruction, another cut a
swath through the city, leaving stand
ing only the Lutheran church and some
dwellings near the southern limits.
A SYSTEM OF WATER WORKS
which would ordinarily be ample pro-
lection against the blazing forests were
rendered useless by the burning OF the
pumping station in the first fire. The
volunteer fire department consisting OF
thirty-iour men and having three thou
sand feet Of hose, had beeh working two
days in the swamp 10 prevent the hames
coming into the town.
Driven by the increasing wind, the
fire reached the southwest limits OF
the city about o'clock yesterday after
noon. Across the miles of swamp,
where the water was from six inches
10 a foot In depth, it could be heard
roaring for fully half an hour-a
sound that rendered the people
panic stricken. The iremen fought
II until it drove them back with blis-
tered hands and faces, and then they
sought TO stop its progress with dyna-
mite explosions. This they did accom-
plish after the north end Of the city had
been destroyed, the First and part OF
the Second wards, including the box
factory of the John K. Davis Lumber
Company and the school house.
Just then another cyclone OF fire
struch the western side, sweeping
through the main business and resi-
dence portion of the city, destroying
the rest Of the Davis Company's plant.
The path Of the fire took in the city
hall, court house, county Jail and the
Wisconsin Central depot and
SWEPT EyERYTHIN C To THE LAKE.
was during the first fire that the
loss of life occurred. Driven frantic
bv the rushing gale OF flame, the fam
lies OF James Locke, Frank Cliss and
James Dryden gathered hurriedly in
their arms all their possessions that
they could and made for floating
boat.h house that was tied 10 the town
bridge, near the box factory. The ropes
were cut, ana the occupants thought the
gale would drive them across the lake,
where the flames would not reach them,
but the raft was rickety affair and
overloaded, aud, most terrible OF all,
the fire seemed TO create current
OF air, that pulled them d.
rectly toward q great pile OF burn
ing lumber on the lake shore. The
raft began 10 sink, and with death by
fire facing them on the one hand and
drowning on the other, the boats were
resorted TO, but in the gale they cap
sized almost instantly and all persisted
with the exception OF Mrs. Cliss, who
was found floating this morning on the
opposite side of the lake, clinging With
desperation TO boat.
When il became evident that the city
was threatened with destruction, the
John X. Davis Lumber Company made
m a train Of lis cars and sought TO take
the women ard children 10 q place Of
safety on the Little Elk branch. The
train had proceeded but little way.
however, when the bridge across the
stream was
DISCOVERED To BE BURNED
and the train, with its cargo Of human
freight, was forced TO return TO the city
and run the gauntlet OF fame aud
smoke. In the meantime permission
had been received to use the main track
OF the Central road, and the homeless
people were carried south twelve miles
TO Prentice. The people Of Prentice
opened wide their homes, but there
was not room for all the crowd OF men,
women and children.
About II o'clock al night the fire
lighters, who had remained on the
scene, betook themselves to clearing 2
south Of the city, beirg a place that had
been burned over few days before, SO