New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-29
WIPED OUT BY FOREST FIRES
LOSS OF LIFE AND GREAT DESTRUCTION
TO PROPERTY IN WISCONSIN.

TOWNS SWEPT AWAY THOUSANDS MADE HOME
LESS AND MILLIONS LosT-APPEMs FOR
RESCUE COME FROM THE SUFFERERS
Milwaukee. Wis. July 2S-Phillips. town OF
1000 Inhabitants on the Wisconsin Central road
in the northern part OF the State, was wiped out
by a forest fire last night. Al the main offices
Of the Wisconsin Central road In this city no
advices were received this morning which would
confirm the apprehension. at FIRST entertained.
that great loss OF life attended the conflagration,
but later reports may change the aspect Of the
case As it Is. over 5000 men, women and
children are rendered homeless
Superintendent Collins, OF the Wisconsin Cen
tral road. said this morning that all the news
there was from Prentice. the first station
next south Of Phillips. was In effect tha'
the latter town was gone. AS the "ihu
had changed and decreased In Violence
the prospect was that farther progress of
the forest fires now raging would be
stopped There were only three brick buildings
in the town. the rest being constructed Of wood.
The lumber Industry was the main, in fact the
only source OF wealth and prosperity to the IN
habltants They hewed an open space in the
forest and built wooden city. Baked for weeks
bv n blazing sun. 1t fell easy prey 20 the
forest When tho box factory burned the boiler
e,nloied and shook the entire town. An ex-
ploson of powder and dynamite occurred when
tho lumber company's hardware store burned
The fire started in the south side Of the city, ana
II Is estimated that about 90 0oo feet OF sawed
lumber was destroyed The John T. Davis Lum-
ber Company sustained the heaviest loss, as It's
plant was valued at 100000. A big tanncry.
several churches. the courthouse. the Wisconsin
Central Depot the public school and all the
business AMI dwelling houses are In ruins.
Twenty people arc reported 70 have lost their
lives az Phillips last night An investigation Il
being made 10 confirm the report. which IS proc
ably exaggerated.
II Is stated that when the flames swept over
the town from the burning lumber yesterday
many people erdeavorel 70 save their valuaoes
and household effects and fingered 80 long In the
effort as 10 be cut on from every avenue Of es-
cape except small lake formed hy the widening
| % the river They then rushed to the lake ana
while some succeeded in escaping twenty are re-
ported - have been drowned. Tho following tele-
gram has been received a, the executive ofi'ce at
Madison to-day from Clarence Snyder. Of the
state Board 81 Control. who is at Phillips:
over c,o reopl. vyithou, food or shelter: evcry
energy OF our people should be put rorih 10 reel
this suffering Food and tents rhoun come @ "a, a.
once py spe -!nl train. Communicate with ben w
DAVIS her soon as possible. The scene mere IS
one ~ the deepest woe. There werr 'eycraI nearns
from burning and drowning. Let II be remembered
mn 'n' 49, GOOD cit,zen should interest himself
| FOR humaniiys sake IN seeing that' Help CoiieS
| promptly.
West Superior. WIS. July oS.-Mayor Wood
ward to-day received the following telegram from
| Phillips.
our city has been entirely destroyed by nre.
| leaving 400 people homeless, without Iood % %
shelter Please take immediate steps u ''"' w
! H.
A committee is al work securing MD.
Ashland Wls. July es-Communication has
been established with Prentice which place re-
| por,s that the town of F!ned has not been
| burned as was feared when telegraphic COM
] rnunication was cut on with that place last
night Before communication was Interrupted a
number ~ dispatches We're received here from
Fineld asking FOR aid. FL. Ensign. prominent
nmbcrman telegra phed FOR bread and meat u
| be sent down there az once; that there were oV
| women and children between Fin~ld and Philips
without food. and that the fire was ragns
ncrccly around them. The Mayor and com
niticc began gathering supplies 10 be sent dowf
"a COON as a train can got through the flames
Mr. Rar,oe. whose family i've at Phillips re-
celved the following message at 9 o'clock from
| Flhed
Your wife and baby are in the woods near Phil
! lps without food and clothing
lie is half-crazed with grief but Is unable &
! send any help It Is feared that many lives are
loo, az with the hundreds " women and children
I'm tho woods and fires all around them some
rous, perish surely The tanncry and immense
r,rhering concerns at Phillips are among the
ruins 50 that the loss Will BE- great Inc en-
| frsI passenger train which was du" here IRON
| Milwaukee. yesterday is a. Chelsea. unable L
| pass Philips. ,., ,,
| The fire came upon Shores Crossing win ,erII
hle ran,dity. and residents there lost everything
dozer bridges on the Omaha line have beer
bnrn.d 81 10 o'clock A welcome rain began tai
ing tho first I'm some days. but unfortunately
lasted but 4 Jew minutes. so tDat II Will not Pu
nut the fires 10 any extent. \ freight engine WIZ
caboosc has arrived from Mason. and the "o'S >
| rcports OF nre there are confirmed. IN" LOW" l.
| literally wiped out ~ existence
Medford. Wis. July 2S-What is known a
powelrs mills. eight miles west OF here. sen
word Yesterday asking for assistance on accoun
| of forest fires The hand engine was dispa'che
| =, once with teams and 100 men went 20 III
| roscue. and arrived none too soon 10 save IN
| mill ana houses for the time being 80 o ohh'
| farmers I'm the vicinity moved their tanllllcS an
| what little they could gather on wagon an an
| came TO the mill-site. For two hours Scs'c@tu". @
| afternoon $50 men. women ana 'hiIut'h W
| confined on five acres Of ground. surrounueu -
one seethng mass OF famcs
| Dul,th Mimi July 2S.-A heavy rain iei las
r,gbt IN Duluth and in all the surroundh
| country the first for weeks II has PUT out !
| . oroat measure the forest fires about bulutl
| and will have It's effect on the Mesapa r"nE
| and 10 the west. This morning RAIN was ''
| falling.