The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-08-01

ASHLAND. Wis, July 27.-FOrest
fires are producing great suffering and
loss throughout this vicinity and railroad
companies have never before experienced
such damage from fires. on the Wis
consin Central it Is impossible to move
trains. Phillips. the headquarters of the
John r. Davis lumber company. a manu-
featuring town of 1000 people, is totally
destroyed by fire and only a few build
ing remain standing.
dispatch just received from Fifeld.
a small station a few miles this side of
Phillips. says that 500 women and chill
dren from Phillips are in the woods
without shelter.
Mason. a small town south on the
Omaha line. caught fire at o'clock. The
White river lumber company's mill, with
10000 feet of lumber in the yard, was
destroyed. and at 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. Railroad officials say the loss
at Mason is fully $1,000. 600. with s25O.OOO
Insurance. Homesteaders in the outly-
ing districts are all fleeing into the near
nst towns. leaving their homes to the
Jury of the flames SO far no loss of life
is reported. The fire department is care
fully guarding the outside limits Of
Ashland and the city is not in any imme-
fiate danger. News from Hurley states
that town has been enveloped in a dense
cloud Of smoke all day with fires on
nearly every side.
PHILLIPS, Wis, July 2S.-Thirty-nine
buildings out of 700 stand amid smoke
and ashes on the scene OF what was
yesterday the nourishing city Of Phil
lips, the county seat OF Price county, and
Dne OF the wealthiest and most prosper
GUS OF all the towns in the timber re-
glon Of Wisconsin. Three thousand peo-
pie are homeless and except those who
have been offered shelter in the neigh
boring towns. whose people will them
selves pass a sleepless night through fear
that the fierce fires raging in the forests
on all sides will sweep away their homes
at any hour, will have no covering for
their worn-out bodies tonight. Worse
than all, at least thirteen people are
known to have lost their lives. The dead
are:
JAMES LOCKE. butcher. wife and
five children.
FRANK CLIss, in charge of the John
r. Davis lumber company, and two
Sear-old child.
UNKNOWN MAN.
Mrs. DAVID Dryden. wife OF the
foreman Of the Fayette-shaw tannery,
and two children.
Mr.. Dryden was also supposed to
have died, but returned here tonight.
having been away from the city only TO
hear on returning that his family had
perished.
All the dead were drowned in Elk
lake while trying to escape from the
fire except the unknown man, whose
body was found in the ruins of the
house Of e. W. Sackett, editor of the
Phillips Times.
Loss Over Million
The property loss cannot. at this time
be accurately estimated, but it will reach
- least s1,250000. The immense plant Of
the ]. r. Davis lumber company is
t5tal loss. amounting to between $500 900
and S6O0,O00. On this property there Is
an insurance equal to at least four-fifths
the value Of the plant OF the rest Of
The city about half Of the property was
insured. Many Of the poorer people
carried no insurance on their homes, and
they have lost everything. There were
many fine business blocks and private
'esidenees in the city and every one was
burned to the ground. Many OF the
residences cost upward OF $1,000, and
we're handsome for city OF this size.
Four gales Of fire following each other
as soon as one had accomplished It's
work of destruction cut four swaths
through the city. leaving standing only
The Lutheran church and some DWELLINGS
near the southern limits, and freakfshIy
jumping over the Worcester town hall and
group Of dwellings In the very heart
Of the burned district. A system OF
water works which would ordinarily be
ample protection against the blazing
forests were rendered useless by the
burning Of the pumping station in the
first fire.
An Unequal Fight.
The volunteer fire department, consist
ing OF thirty-four men and having 1900
feet OF host, had been working two days
sn the swamp to the west of the city to