The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1894-08-04

and ashes on the site of what was ytster
day the fourlshing city of Phillips, tn
county seat of Price county, and one o
the wealtbiest and most prosperous of al
the towns in the timber region OF Wis
consID. Three thousand people arr
homeless, and except those who havt
been offered shelter In the neIghborlne
towns, whose people will themselves pas!
a sleepless night in the fear that the 6re:
raging In the forest and all sides viii
sweep away their homes at any hour
will have DO covering tor their worn ou,
bodies tonight. Worse than all, at least
13 people are known to have lost their
| Ives.
Mr.. Dryden was also supposed to have
died, but h~ returned here tonight, having
been away from the city only to hear that
Lis family had persisted. All of the dead
were drowned ID Elk lake while trying to
escape from the fire, except the unknown
man, whose body was found in the ruins
of the house of F. w. Sackett, editor of
the Philips Times.
The property loss cannot at this time
be accurately estimated, but it will reach
at least 81 .250,000. The immense plant
of the John r. Davis Lumber Company
has insurance equal to about four fifths
of the value. 10 the rest of the city
ab ut, half the property was insured.
Many OF the poorer people carried no in
urance on their homes, and have lost
everything There were many fine busi-
ness blocks and private residences, aud
everything was burned to the ground.
Many of the residences cost upwards of
$4,000. and were handsome for a city of
this size.
Four gales of fires followed each other
as soon as one bad accomplished its work
of destruction and cut four swaths
through the city, leaving standing only
the Lutheran church and some dwellings
near the southern limits, and freakishiy
jumping over the town hall and group
of dwellings in the heart of the burned
district. A system of water works which
would ordinarily be ample protection,
burning of the pumping station in the
forest fire. The volunteer fire depart
ment,. consisting of "a men and having
5000 feet of hose, bad been working two
days in the swamp to the west of the city
to prevent the flames coming into the
town.
Driven bv the increasing wind, the fire
re sched The south west limits of the city
about 2 O'Clock yesterday afternoon.
Across the miles of swamp, where the
water was from SIX inches to a foot in
depth. 1t could be heard roaring for fully
an hour-a SOUND that rendered the peo-
Pile panic-strlcken. The fremen fought
it until It drove them back with bistered
hands and faces, and then they sought to
stop its progress with dynamite explO-
slons. This they did accomplish after
the north end of the city ha been de-
stroyed- the entire first and part of the
second ward, including the box factory
of the John R. Davis Lumber Company
and the schoolbouse. Just then another
circle OF wind struck the western side,
sweeping through the main business and
residence portion of the city, and destroy
ing the rest of the Davis ompany's plant
The path of the fire took in the city hall,
courthouse, Jail and the Wisconsin Cen
tral depot. and swept everything TO he
lake Thirteen prisoners were in the Jail
and three of them made their escape.
1t was during the first fire that the loss
of life occurred Driven frantic by the
rushing gale of flames, the families of
James Lock, Frank Cliss and David Bry
den. gathered hurriedly in their arms all
the possessions they could and made for
floating boatbouse that was tied to the
town bridge near the box factory. After
they had gone short distance the boat
house began to sink and deslh by fire
staring them on one side and drowning
on the other, the boats were resorted to.
In the gale they capsized almost instant
ly, all perishing. with the exception of
Mrs. Clss. who was found floating this
morning on the opposite side OF the lake.
clinging with desperation to boat.