Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-07-30
REvELRY OF HAVOC.

Ihtrty-Ntne Remain-Mason Practically
Destroyed Also Total Loss in the
Region Estimated at 81, 500, 0OO-Relief
Is Prompt and Rebuilding at Phillips
will Begin at Once Governor Peck mt
the scene-Half a Million In Ashes ut
Belle Piaine, Ia
MILWAUKEE, July So-The Sentinel's
special from Phillips says: Thirty-nine
buildings out OF 200 stand amid smoke and
a'hes on the scene Of what was the -four
l>hing town of Phillips, the countys eat of
Price county, and one of the wealthest
and most prosperous of all the towns in
the timber regions of Wisconsin. Three
Thousand people are homeless, and except
those who have been offered shelter in the
nelgEboring towns they have no covering
for their worn-out bodies. Worse than
al, at least thirteen people are known to
have lost their lives.
| The dead are: James Locke, wife and
tive children; Frank Cliss, in charge of the
dry kiins of the John r. Davis Lumber
company, and 2-year-old child; Mrs. David
dryden. wife OF the foreman of the Fay
cite Sna'v tannery, and two children; Mr.
! - "NA was diSo Suplostu 10 uiiNc UtSu,
sut has returned here, having been away
from the city, only 70 hear that his family
had persisted. The last on the list is an
unknown woman.
| Water More Deadly Than Fire.
n was not the fire, however, that
Claimed these victims, it was the lake.
Inere were four gales Of fire swept the
town aud it WAS during the first that the
loss OF life occu rred. Driven frantic by
the gale OF fame 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 Elk
lake where the flames would not reach
them. But the raft was rickety affair
and overloaded, ana .he fire seemed to
create IA current Of air that pulled them
| directly towards a great pile of burning
lumber Oh the lake shore. The raft began
to sink, and with death by fire facing
them on one side and drowning on the
other the boats were resorted to, but in
the gale the boats capsized almost in
stantly and all persisted with the excep-
ton OF Mrs. Cliss, who was found floating
on the opposite side of the lake clinging
with desperation to n boat
! Freak of the Flames.
As SAID above there We're four gales of
IRE, and all cut swaths through the town.
leaving standing only the Lutheran
church and some dwellings near the
southern limits, and freakishly jumping
over The Worcester town hall and a group
of buildings ia the very heart of the
turned district. Another prank was
played with The property of William
Nelson. HIS house was the only structure
on tie main street not burned Ii is a
frame dwelling, and not even his fence
was scorchei, while rains surround it on
all de. The furniture which he moved
ont IA or ,er to save was DESTROYED
sweep o! the Roaring Destroyer.
Driven 10y the increasing wind the fire
reached the south limits of the town about
: O'Clock Friday afternoon. Across miles
OF swamp where the water was from six
inches to a loot in depth it could be heard
roaring Tor fully half an hour-a sound
that rendered the people panic stricken. \
system OF water works which would ordi-
narlly be ample protection against the
blazing forests WAS rendered useless by
the burning OF the pumping station in the
iirst ire. The volunteer fire department,
consisting OF thirty four men and havin.
5000 feet of hose, hal been worhiu. two
days IN the swamp To tue west of the city
to prevent the flames coming into the
town. The trgmen Iou-Lt until driven
back with blistered hand, and faces. and
then they sought to stop the progress of
the flihnes with dynamite explosions.
This they did accomplish after the north
end Of ;he city had been destroyed.
Fire Fighters Acknowledge Defeat.
SO the ii hit went on. But As the attacks
of the fire fieud We're resisted in one direc-
ton they We're renewed in another and
about II at night the fire fighters who had
remained on the scene betook themselves
to clearing south of the city, being a
place that had been burned over IA few
days before, SO that there was nothing
more for the fire to feed on Their route
was thick with smother!pg smoke. The
flames jumped directly across their path
from one side to the other. The fire in the
forest broke out with vigor and the tall
pines, even the greencst ones were great
blazing torches throwing long tongues OF
fire high in the air. There they waited
for morning which showed them only a
waste Of ashes where the town had once
| stood.
HELP is READY AT THE WORD.
Relief Answers Prpmptlv tn tn, CAN r,r