The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-28
Fifield Now in Flames and the Inhabi.
tants Fleeing for Their Lives
TO the Timber Land.
WISCONSIN WOODS FLAMING
Abnormal Heat West Causes De-
structive Prairie Fires.
While the Mercury Ranged as High as
106 i'm Places, Indications Point
to Lower Temperature.

are producing great suffering and loss
throughout this vicinity and railroad com.
panies have never before experienced such
damage from fires. On the Wisconsin Cen
trail railroad it Is impossible To move
trains. Phillips, the headquarters OF the
John II. Davis Lumber Company, manu-
featuring town of two thousand people, In
totally destroyed by fire and only a few
buildings remain standing. A dispatch re-
ceived from Fifeld, a small station a few
miles this side OF Phillips, says that five
hundred women and children from Phillips
are in the woods without shelter. They
sent request for food and supplies, az
supply al Fifeid is very short The trair
that started from here this evening was
obliged 10 return. as bridges are totally de-
stroyed few miles south.
Communication with Fifield was sudden.
ly shut off tonight, and IL is rumored that
the town is also on fire. Along the Omaha
line the fires are raging with terrible fierce
ness. Shores Crossing, a little village
eight miles west Of Ashland, was destroyed
this afternoon. Not a building remains
standing and the homeless families were
brought to Ashland. The railroad bridge
near there was destroyed and at O'Clock
this afternoon a fast Omaha freight and
express-loaded cars were entirely burned
Both the engineer and fireman were in
jured and the brakemen are missing. Loss
TO ears and freight amounts TO many thou
sands of dollars.
Mason. a small town south on the Oma-
ha line, caught fire at 2 O'clock. The White
River Lumber Companys mill. with forty
thousand feet of lumber in the yard was
destroyed, and at s o'clock. the latest re-
port received here. says the entire town
was threatened. The Omaha bridge across
the White river, at Mason is burned Rail-
road officials say the loss at Mason is fully
a million dollars, with s250,oo0 insurance
Homesteaders in the 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 de-
partment is carefully guarding the outside
limits OF Ashland and the city Is sslot in
any immediate danger News from Hur-
ley states that that town has been en-
veloped in a dense cloud OF smoke all day
with fires on nearly every side.
Up to IL o'clock no further reports have
been received from Fifeld, as telegraphic
communication has been entirely cut of. Ii
is thought here that the fire which swept
Phillips has reached Fifield and destroyed
that town also. At o'clock Ed Ensign, a
prominent lumberman, telegraphed 10 the
Mayor here from Fifeld for bread and
meat to be sent down there at once; that
there were 500 women and children between
F'ifield and Phillips without food, and the
fire raging fiercely around them. The
Mayor and a committee are now gathering
supplies, which will be sent down in the
morning If a train can get through the
flames. Mr. Barloe whose family resides ar
Phillips, received the following message at
O'Clock from Fifield:
Your wife and baby are in the woods
near Phillips without food and clothing"
He is half-crazed with grief, but is un-
able TO send any help. 1t is feared that
many lives are lost, as with the hundreds
OF women and children in the woods and
fire all around them, some must perish
surely. The tannery and immense lumber
ing concern at Phillips are among the
ruins, so that the loss will be appalling.
The Central passenger. which was due
here from Milwaukee this afternoon. is at
Chelsea, unable TO pass Phillips. The Oma-
ha freight train destroyed near Shores
Crossing was loaded with wheat. A wreck
ing crew is now at work, but the engine
will be the only part OF the train saved
The fire came up on Shores Crossing with
terrible rapidity, and residents lost every
thing they possessed. Not a structure OF
any kind remains standing there. A dozen
bridges on the Omaha have been burned,
and railroad men say IL will take two
weeks TO rebuild the one destroyed at Ma
son. At 10 o'clock a welcome rain began
falling the first In some days, but, unfor-
tunately, lasted only a few minutes.
that It will not put out the fires TO any
extent.
A freight engine, with caboose, has just
arrived from Mason, and worst reports OF
fire there are confirmed. The town is lite
orally wiped out OF existence. The fire
started i'm the lumber yard Of the White
River Lumber Company from sparks from
the forest fires, and though the four hun
dred employees worked nobly in defense OF
their homes the resistless flames swept
through the town.
1:30 a. m.-The Wisconsin Central office
has just established communication with
Prentice. From there they learn that Fiheld
has not been approached by the fire and
most of the women and children from Phil
lips are quartered there. The Central OFF,
Gals dispatches from Prentice say that
Phillips was completely swept by the flames
and wholly destroyed. The CentraIs bridge
at Phillips was destroyed
Fight with the Flames.
MEDFORD, Wis, July G.-What is
known as Powell's Mills, eight miles west
of here. sent word early this morning ask
ing for assistance on account OF forest
fires. The hand engine was dispatched at
once with teams and one hundred men
went TO the rescue and arrived none TOO
soon To save the mill and residences, for
the time being small farmers in the vicin-
ity moved their families and what little
they could gather on a wagon and came
To the mill site. For two hours this after
noon $50 men women and children were
confined on five acres OF ground surrounded
by one seething mass OF hames- II was q
case OF pump or take TO the mill pond
Live stock Is dying by the side OF the road
burned TO a crisp. Great fears are enter
tained for a dozen farmers who live north
east OF PowelPs Mil. whose one road OF
exit is surrounded by fire. Word has been