Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-08-02
FOREST FIRES RAGE
GREAT DESTRUCTION IN NORTH
WESTERN WISCONSIN,,
Phillips, a Manufacturing Town
and Mason Are Entirely Destroyed
nd Other Towns Arc in Danger
Many Lives Probably Lost.

ana Mason Are Entirely DESTROYED
nd Other Towns Arc I'm DANGER
Many Lives Probably Lost.
Ashland, Wis, July 28.-Forest fires
are producing vast suffering and loss
through this vicinity, and the railroad
companies have never before experienced
such damage by fires.
On the Wisconsin Central it is impossi-
ble to move trains. Phillips, the head
quarters Of the John II. Davis Lumber
company, q manufacturing town of 1900
population, is totally destroyed by fire,
and only few buildings remain stand
ing.
A dispatch just received from Fifeld, a
small station few mics this side of
Phillips, says that 500 women and chill
drcr from Phillips are in the woods there
without shelter. They sent a request for
food, as the supply at Fifeld is very
short, but the train that started from
here last evening was obliged to return,
as the bridges are totally destroyed few
miles south. Communication with FL
field is now shut Off and it is feared that
the town is also on fire. Along the Oma-
ha line fires ragged with terrible ferceness.
Shores Crossing, little village eight
miles west of Ashland, was destroyed to-
day. Not building remains standing,
and the homeless families were brought
to Ashland. The railroad bridges nesr
there were destroyed and fast Omaha
freight train was dtchtd and the engine
and sixteen loaded cars were entirely
burned. Both the engineer and fireman
were injured and the brakemen are miss
ing. The loss on cars and freight is
many thousand dollars
Mason, a small town on the Omaha
line, caught fire to-day. The White River
Lumber conpany's mill, with 4O,OOO,OOO
feet of lumber in the yards, was de-
stroyed. The entire town was threatened.
The Omaha bridge across White river at
Mason is burned. Railroad officials say
the loss at Elason is fully $1,000, 900,
with $25O,OOO Insurance. The mill be-
longed to the Weyerhauser syndicate.
Homesteaders in outlying districts are
all fleeing into the nearest towns, leaving
their homes to the fury of the flames.
So far no loss Of life is reported. The
fire department is carefully guarding the
outside limits of Ashland, and the city is
Eot il any imminent danger. A dispatch
from Hurley states that the town has
been envc!2pcd in Il dense cloud Of smoke
all day with fires ON neatly every side.
The mayor and a committee are low
gathering supplies which will be sent to
Fitield III the morning if the train can get
through the flames raging between here
end there. DIR. Bartoe, whose family
reside at Phillips, received the following
message from Fi6eld: 'Your wife aud
baby are in the woods near Phillips with
out food and clothing" He is half
crazed with grief, but is unable to send
any help. 1t is feared that many lives
ard children in the ", DDS and fire all
around them, some must surely perish.
The tanncry and immense numbering con-
Germs at Phillips are among the ruins,
so that the loss will be appalling. The
Central passenger, due here from Mil
waukee, is at Chelsea, unable to pass
Phillips. The Omaha freight train de-
stroycd near Shores Crossing was loaded
with wheat. A wrecking crew is now at
work, but the only part of the train will
be the engine. The fire came upon Shores
Crossing with terrible rapidly, and
many residents there lost everything they
possessed. Not a structure of any kind
remains standing. A dozen bridges on
the Omaha line have been burned, and
railroad men say it will take two weeks
to rebuild the one destroyed at Mason.
At 10 o'clock welcome rain beg IN
falling, the first in many days, but IN /.
fortunately lasted only few minutes, 50
that it. will net put out fires to any ex-
tent.
A freight engine with caboose has
just arrived from Mason, and the worst
rel orts of the fire there are confirmed.
The town is literally wiped out of ex-
istence. The fire started in the lumber
yard of the Willie River Lumber COM
pany from sparks from forest fires, and
though the 400 employees worked nobly
III defense of their homes, the resistless
flames swept through the town.
Hayward, Wis, July 2S.-Bridges at
Mason and Forest City have been burned.
The wires are down and no definite in
formation can be secured. The country
surrounding this town is all on fire, and
the smoke is very dense. If no rain falls
soon there is imminent danger to all
towns in this vicinity. A crew is going
on Il special train to repair the bridges.
Continue the Strike.
Scottdale, Pa, July 2S-The striking
coke workers held another delegate con-
yention here to-day with ffty-one dele
gates present. The delegates came to
the convention instructed to report the
number of men now at work and the