Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-07-28
MANY TOWNS IN ASHES
Western Prairies and Forests Are Surging Seas of Flame.
TURNED TO FINDER BY DROUGHT.

Thousands of Acres of Standing Grain and
 Hay Licked Up Railroad Cars and
 Bridges Burned and All Communication
 stopped-Townspeopl. Fighting Fire.
 ASHLAND, Wis, July 2S-Furest fires are producing great suffering and loss throughout this vicinity, and railroad companies have never before experienced such damage from fires. On the wiscon- sin Central ruad 1t Is impossible to move trains.
 Phillips, the headquarters of the John K. Davis Lumber company, n manufac- turing town of 2,OO0 people. Is totally destroyed by fire. and only few build. ings remain standing.
 \ dispatch just received from Fiheld, a small station a few miles this side of Phil lips, says that 500 women and children from Phillips arc in tho woods thcrc with out shelter. They sent n request for food and supplies, as the supply at Fifield is very short. The train that started from here was obliged to return, as bridges arc totally destroyed a few miles south. Com munication with Fifeld Is now shut of, and it Is feared that that town Is now on fire.
 Along the Omaha line the flers are rag Ing with terrible flcrcencss- Shore's Cross ing, n little village eight miles west of Ashland, was destroyed. Not a building remains standing, and the homeless fam lilies were brought to Ashland.
 The railroad bridge near that village was destroyed, and a fast Omaha freight and It loaded cars were entirely burned. Both the engineer and fireman were injur- ed and the brakcmen are missing. Loss to cars and freight was many thousands of dollars
 .FW Y
 Mason, a small town south on the Omaha line, caught fire. The White River Lumber company's mill, with 10. GOO, GOO feet of lumber in the yards, was destroyed, and the latest report received here says tho entire town is threatened
 Tho Omaha bridge across tho White river at Mason is burned Railroad off cials say the loss at Mason Is fully $l 900, 00O. with $25O. 000 insurance Home steaders in the outlying districts arc flee ing to the nearest towns, leaving their homes to tho fury of the flames So far no loss of life is reported Tho fire de partmcnt is carefully guarding the outside | limits of Ashland, and the city is not in any immediate danger. News from IIur- Icy states that town has been cnvcloped | in n dense cloud of smoke all day, with fires on nearly every side.
 It was case of pump or take to the millpond. Live stock Is dying by the side of the road burned to n crisp Great fears are entertained for dozen farmers who | live northeast of Powcll's mill, whose one road or exit is surrounded by fire.
 Word has been received here that six families between Chelsea and Rib Lake were burned out.
 The Wisconsin mail train, which came | hero six hours late, Is stopped here, a railroad bridge between herc and Chelsea | Is burned
 The Wisconsin Central office has just established communication with Prentice. | From there they learn that Fifield has not been approached by the fire. and most of | tho women and children from Phillips are l quartered there. The Central officials 1 dispatches from Prentice say that Phillips was completely swept by the flames and wholly destroyed \ prominent lum herman tclcgraphcd to the mayor here | from Fiield for bread and meat to be sent down there at once; that there were 500 women and children between Fifeld and Phillips without food and the fire rag ing ficrcely around them. Tho mayor and n committee arc now gathering sup 1 plies, which will bc sent down if n train can be got through the flames. Mir. Bar toe, whoso family reside at Phillips, re- ceivcd the following message from Fi. | field: Your wife and baby are in the woods near Phillips without food and clothing" He Is half crazed with grief, but iS unable to send any help.
 Fears For Women and Children.
 1t Is feared that many lives are lost, us with the hundreds of women and children in tho woods and fire all around them some must perish surCly.
 The tanncry and immense numbering concern at Phillips nre among the ruins. so that tho loss will bc appalling. The Central passenger, which was due hert from Milwaukee yesterday afternoon. is nt Chelsea unable to pass Phillips The Omaha freight train destroyed. neal Shores Crossing was loaded with wheat A wrecking crew Is now at work. but tho engine will he the only part of the train saved. The fire came upon shores Gloss ing with terrible rapidity. and many rcSi dents there lost everything they possessed Not a structure of any kind remain; standing there. \ dozen bridges on the Omaha line have been burned. and rail road men say It will take two weeks tC , rebuild the one destroyed at Mason
 At 10 o'clock last night n welcome rair began falling. the first in some days. bu unfortunately lasted only few minutes so that 1t did not put out the fires to an! extent. \ freight engine with caboos, has just arrived from Mason. and th' worst reports of fire there arc confirmed The town is literally wiped out of exist ence. The fire started in the lumber var, of tho White River Lumher cnmpan! from sparks from the forest fires, and : though the 100 employees worked nObl. in defense of their homes, tho rcstlcs flames swept through the town.
 Welcome Rain In Minnesota.
 DULUTH, July 3s.-A heavy rain fel last night in Duluth and in ali the sur , rounding country. The rain Is the frs |, for weeks 1t has already put out in