Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1894-08-04

Escape from the Burning Town of
Phinlps-Tho Losses Are Es-
timatcd at S3,OOO,O0O.
AWFUL WORK OF THE FLAMES.
ASHLAND, Wis, July 30.-I.oss of
property approximating $4,000, 900 and
heavy loss of life, the extent not yet
known, though at least fifteen persons
met death at Phillips Friday, is the
record of the forest fires which have
swept northern Wisconsin. 1t is al
most a certainty that some of the lone
homesteaders scattered throughout
the burning timber have perished In
the flames unless they have in some
marvellous way escaped the suffocating
flames and smoke.
Those known to be dead are: Mrs.
David Dryden, two children of Mrs.
Dryden, Frank Cliss, three Cliss chill
dren, James Locke, Mrs. James Locke,
hve Locke children, unknown woman,
body found in the ruins of F. w. Sack
etts residence.
The losses now seem to be:
The city Of Phillips entirely wiped out.
The city of Mason practically destroyed with
White River Lumber company and 10000 900
feet of lumber.
Headquarters OF the Ashland Lumber COM
pany near Shores Crossing entirely wiped out
Special train OF the Chicago, st. Paul. Min
neapolis s. Omaha consisting OF sixteen cars
and locomotive, all burned; broke through
burning bridge near Ashland Junction.
Camps of Thompson Lumber company
burned at White River.
Two bridges on Wisconsin Central railroad,
one near Chelsea another near Phillips, both
main line south of Ashland
Thasa ara the aStinataI 1accaS ora-
officially, so far as known:
Lumber plants 81 900 900
Phillips residents. .................... $50 900
Thompson Lumber company, Of wash 'OOV
Durne. ................. 1000
Ashland Lumber company. ............. 5000
Shores Crossing residents. .............. 1000
Two bridges c., ST. p, NJ. & o. rail-
road. ......................... 10000
Two bridges Wisconsin Central. ........ 10000
Homesteaders. s........................... 25O,OO0
PHILLIPS, Wis, July 30.-Not since
the terrible forest fires destroyed
Peshtigo has anything occurred which
will compare with the scene of ruin
here. Out of a town of 700 buildings
only twenty-seven are left standing.
1t is not yet known how many of the
5000 inhabitants of the town perished.
When the impossibility of checking
the flames became apparent rush was
made by the people for places of safe
ty. Trains on the Wisconsin Central
line were hurried to the town, and as
fast as steam could carry them
the inhabitants were taken to other
towns which were supposed to be out
of the range of the flames. There was
no time to carry away property of any
description except that which could be
readily carried on the person, and so
everything as far as can be ascertained,
was swept away.
1t was during the first fire that the
loss of life occurred. Driven frantic
by the rushing gale of flames, the fam
lilies of James Locke, Frank Cliss and
Dave Dryden gathered hurriedly in
their arms all their possessions that
they could and made for a floating
boathouse 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 the lake where the flames would
not reach them, but the raft was a
rickety affair and overloaded, and
most terrible of all, the fire seemed tc
create current of air that pulled them
directly towards great pile of burn
ing lumber on 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 they
capsized almost instantly, and all per
ished with the exception of Mrs. Cliss
who was found floating Saturday
morning on the opposite side of TIL,
lake, clinging with desperation to {
boat.
The body of an unknown mar
burned to a crisp has already beer
found in Phillips, and it is feared ther,
are others which have not yet been re
vealed to the searchers. Owing to tn,
scattering of the population and tn,
uncertainty as to the whereabouts o
many families, list of those actual,
missing cannot be had.
committee of citizens from Ash
land arrived with special train o
provisions Saturday night at o O. clock
1t was the first material relief to ar
rive and it arrived just in time to kee1
the people from actual suffering 70
want of food. The provisions wer
given out in small quantities, so as t.
make them last as long as possible an,
keep something available until othe
provisions arrive.
Gov Peck and his staff arrived fror
Madison Sunday morning. "A doze
cars of provisions have arrived fror
various cities, and the organization fo
relief has been completed.
The entire northern part of the stat
is sea of flame. The country
dotted with the homes of farmers an
homesteaders and with lumber camps
There is no doubt that hundreds G
these buildings have been burned
while the fate of the people is in doub
1t is probable that many of them hav
lost their lives.
The forest fires are still raging I
the north and west of here, and it
reported that several small station