Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-07-29
TERRIBLE FOREST FIRES.
THE TOWN OF PHiILIrs. WIS.,,
WIPED OUT OF EXISTENCE.
Thirteen Lives Known to Have Deen
Lost During the Cyclone of Fire.
List OF the Dead--iiundreds OF
Homeless People Destitute.

was yesterday the flourishing little city
OF Phillips, the county seat OF Price
county and one OF the wealthlest and
most prosperous of all the towns in
the timber region OF Wisconsin. Three
thousand people are homeless. and ex-
cept those who have been offered shell
ter in the neighboring towns, whose
people viii themselves pass sleepless
night through fear that the fierce fires
raging in the forests on all sides will
sweep away their homes at any hour.
Will have no covering for their worn
out bodies tonight. Worse than all. at
least thirteen people are known to have
lost their lives. The dead are:
JAMES LOCKE, butcher wife and
five children.
FRANK CLIss In charge OF the
John X, Davis Lumber company, and
2-year-old child
MRS. DAVID Dryden, wife OF the
foreman Of the Fayette Shaw tannery.
and two children
Mr.. Dryden was also supposed TO
have died. but returned here tonight,
having been away from the city. only
TO hear on returning that his family
had persisted
UNKNOWN MAN.
All the dead were drown in Elk
Lake while trying to escape from the
fire, except the unknown man, whose
body was found in the ruins OF the
house of IL. w. Sackett, editor of the
Phillips Times. The property loss
cannot at this time be accurately es-
timated, but It will reach at least ST.
100000. The immense plant OF the !.
r. Davis Lumber company Is a total
loss, amounting to between $500. 600 and
100000. On this property there is an
Insurance equal to at least four-nfths
the value of the plant. or the rest OF
the city almost half OF the property
was insured Many poor people car
rled no Insurance on their homes and
they have lost everything. There were
many fine business blocks and pri-
vate residences in the city and every
one was burned TO the ground. Many
of the residences cost upwards OF
$4,000 and We're handsome for a city
of this size.
Four gales OF FIRE following each
other as soon as one had accomplished
It's work OF destruction, cut four swaths
through the city. leaving standing only
the Lutheran church and some dwell
inRs near the southern limits and
frealushly Jumping over the Worcester
town hall and a group Of dwellings in
the very heart of lie burned district.
A system of water works which would
ordinarily be ample protection against
the blazing forests, were rendered use
less by the burning of the pumping sta
tion in the first fire. The volunteer
flre department. consisting of thirty
four men, and having 5000 feet OF hose,
has been working two days In the
swamp to the west OF the city to pre-
vent the flames coming into the town,
Driven by the wind, the fire reached
the southern limits of the city at
o'clock yesterday afternoon. Across
| the mile of swamp, whore the water
was from six inches TO a foot In depth
IL could be heard roaring for fully hali
an hour, n sound that rendered the
people panic-stricken. The firemen
fought 1t until they were driven back
with blistered hands and faces, and
then they sought to stop its progress
with dynamite explosions. This they
did accomplish after the north end of
tl.s city had been destroyed. the entire
First and a part OF the Second ward.
including the box factory OF the j r.
Davis Lumber company and the school
house. Just then another cyclone OF
fire struck 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 Wis
consin Central depot and swept every
thing TO the lake. Thirteen prisoners
were in the Jail and three OF them made
their escape from the sheriff when re-
leased from confinement 1t was dur
ing the first fire that the loss of life
occurred Driven frantic by the rush
Ing gale OF flames, the families OF
James Locke, Frank Cliss and Dave
Dryden gathered hurriedly In their
arms all their possessions that they
could and made for a floating boat
house that was tied to the town bridge
near the box factory. The ropes were
cut and the occupants thought the gale
would drive them across the lake.
where the flames would not reach
them, but the craft was rickety con-
Germ and overloaded, and most terri
bic of all. the fire seemed TO create a
current OF air that pulled them directly
ward a great pile Of burning lumber
on the lake shore. The craft began
10 sink, and with death by fire staring
them on one side and drowning ON the
other. the boats were resorted TO, but
in the gale they capslzed Immediately
and all persisted with the exception OF
Cliss, who was found floating thtI
morning on the opposite side Of the
! lake. ~lngng with desperation to a
In the meantime Sailor Dunrd had
| rowed away from the Hazel Dell and
/ had pulled UP alongside OF another
schooner. the NJ. #. Reed, Capt. Fin
| new. AS he drew near that vessel he
called out: Murder has been com
mItted on the King. and we want help"
Two men from the Reed started IN
a boat, but before they had traversed
half the space intervening between the
two schooners they turned back. afraid
| that Capt. Hall would XIII them. 10
lDuard had said he had slaughtered his
brother. Charles Duard, seeing that
the men were coming back. picked Up
| his oars and returned % the King
himself He found his brother alive.
and started for the 3hore. II waa
iu-t midnight when ne landed. He
summor-cd doctor and the police.
Three policemen and DIR. A. p. Reigner
went to the King in a tug.
Capt. Hall was arrested. Frank and
Charles Duard were taken to the hos
initial at Flushing. where their wounds
| were dressed. Capt. Hall was locked
up In the village jail here. and viii
| be held to await the result Of the In
turtles OF his two sailors. Coroner John
! 4 Corey this morning took the ante-
| rnortem statements OF both the sailors.
Roth say the captain fired without
nroyocation. and that there was no
alteration. Capt. Hall, they say, owes
them almost $500.