The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1894-09-07

wide district has been swept by fire
that came Almost as suddenly as
cyclone, dozen or more cities and
towns have been destroyed, hundreds
of lives have been lost and thousands
of people have been made homeless.
The details of the calamity are simply
appalling and the story o, disaster
told IN the dispatches is almost with
out precedent in the record of thrill
ing and horrible incidents In addi-
tion to the loss OF life and the destruc-
tion of homes and establishments repre-
senting business activity, wide stretches
of valuable timber have been dest Dyed
and the losses will be counted
by millions. The story of the struggle,
flight and death or narrow escape OF
thousands of people in the fire-swept
district in Minnesota and Wisconsin
makes lurid and thrilling narrative.
The fury of forest fire in a dry sea-
son is not to lie stayed by mans in
genuity. In tn old prairie fires meas
ur, could be taken 10 turn the tide OF
destruction, but before the fierce blazes
of the forest: man stands as helpless
as we're the victims OF the Johnstown
ho:d Railway aims are overtaken,
whole towns swept out OF existence,
isolated homes b. the score or hun
Dire / burned. leaving no trace OF these
who occ upied them, and a wide extent
of countrJ blackened to desert. This
is the story in brief of the fires in
Minnesota and Wisconsin.
The fire king had everything his
nxun UNIV aud his lanions Nvapa tri1lrp-
phant. Hinckley Partridge, Kerrick,
Sandstone, Mansfield. Dedham on the
Great Northern Barronett. shell Lake
on the Omaha and Poplar en- the
Northern Pacific lines were destroyed
Saturday night and Su day, with the
exception of Shell Lake, where only
sixty houses are burned. 1t is not pos
sible to give anything like accurate
details bat the loss of life and
proper ty has been terrible. The fires
originated in the forests, the wind was
blowing gale Sunday night, and the
smol !ering fires sprang suddenly into
formidable life, and leaped with almost
inc d,ble activity upon the unsuspect-
ing towns in their path. The wo st
suffering is reported from Hinckley,
Mimi, and entity The estimate OF
the 10 of life there and in the sur
rounding towns is being increased by
every report II is said that stcewn along
on one street of Hinckley the bodies
of twenty -nire victims were found,
while in another spot the charred and
unrecognizable remains of lob citizens
were counted. A low estimate OF the
fatalities in that town alonc is now
laced at 300 persons. Scores Of others
were discovered severely in ,,ured,
while the list of missing was in the
hundreds. 1t is believed that at least
100 victims are on the farms and clear
ings throughout the burnt district.
The loss of life in md about Hinck-
ley, Sandstone Fokegama, Skunk Lake
and Mission Creek will not be known
for weeks, if ever. The survivors were
taken to Pine City, where physicians
cared for the injured, while relief
trains from Du nth, Minneapolis and
ST. Paul car lied in tents, clothing, food
and everything necessary TO cover the
wants of the suffering survivors. Very
few persons are eft in Hinckley.
Score OF Towns Wiped Out.
Nineteen TWINS are known to have
been wiped out, and the property loss
reaches 81 ,0JO,0 o. Following is the
list of towns destroyed:
Bashaw. Burnett County. Wis.,
Barronett: Barron County Wis.
Benoit. Wis.
Cartwright, Chippewa County. Wis.
Even. Mich.
Fifeld, Pine County Wis.
Granite Lake. Barron County Wis.
Grantsburg; burnett County, Wis.
Gidden, Ashland County, Wis.
Hinckley, Pine County. MINI.
Mission Creek, Pine County MINI.
Marengo. Ashland County, Wis.
Milaca. Pine County, MINI.
Muscoda, Grant County, Wis.
Shell Lake. Washburn County, Wis.
South Range. Douglas County. Wis.
Sidnaw. Houghton County Mich.
Sandstone. Mimi.
Trout Creek. Mich
Many other towns we're reported In
danger late Sunday night. Cadott,
near Chippewa Falls, Wis, was sur
rounded by llomes. AMI the people of
Chippewa Falls went TO the rescue
with steamers. Coed news came that
the town Of Washburn, Wis, across
the ay from Ashland, had iinally been
saved. But other reports are that the
flames elsewhere arc increasing their
fury, and are now advancing into the
vast forests ca Ct Ashland and to-
wards the cities in the ircn belt, lead
ing to Marquette. The losses at
Hinckley and Barronett were each
over $l,U0' ,OO0, while the losses at the
other towns reported destroyed range
lrOm olOU,OOJ 10 20 W,OJp, according TO
latest advices. The loss in Washbarn
was estimated at $50 900.
Aid for the Homeless.
The extent of the suffering can
hardly be described, bat the hand of
charity was quickly at work, the cities
OF the three States sending aid to the
sufferers. But railroads have been in
jured by the fires, and in many cases
traffic has been entirely suspended.
thus preventing the starting out
OF relief expeditions. There seems
no hope for cessation Of the prog
ress OF the flames save an end of the
great drought. No such hope is held
out, for, while much-needed rain is
promised for other points, dry and
fair" Is the prediction for the burning
districts by the Weather Bureau.
40. Let Tho oaffr1anfoa 81