The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1896-09-04
TWEEN THE LAKES.
MICHIGAN NEWS RECORDED IN
BRIEF ITEMS.
PenniIess and Over S1,5OO,OOO Worth
of Property Destroyed by the Burning
of the Village of Ontonagon.
ontonagon Destroyed by Fire.


Forest and swamp fires which had
been smoidering for several days in
various portions of the upper PENN
sula were famed into demons of de-
struction by strong south wind at
Ontonagon. The fire swept toward
the village with great rapidity and
was soon devouring the lumber piles
on the outskirts. In a very short time
the whole town was threatened and
the flames were utterly beyond the
control of the small local fire depart
ment.
When il was seen that the town was
doomed the railroads were appealed to
for help in saving the inhabitants.
The Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic
and the Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul
roads each sent train and carried the
people TO points of safety. Scarcely a
building or pile of lumber was left
standing, within 12 hours, of what had
been a thriving lumber town of over
$500 inhabitants. The Diamond Match
Co. S immense factory and vast guam
tity of their lumber was utterly de-
stroyed with loss of 81 900, 900; in
sured for about $500, 900. The property
loss other than the Diamond Match Co.
is about 100000. Among the losers
are: Sargent, Jennings 81 Gilkey, of
Oconto, lumber, $4,000 Louis Reidin-
ger, of Marquette, lumber on dock,
$25, 900, James Norton, of Ewing, lum-
Der, $4,000; ID. j. Norton, of Ewing,
lumber, $4,000; VIM. McFarlsne, of
Bruce's Crossing, lumber, $4,000; Lowe
house. four-story hotel, $40, 900; Centen-
NAL hotel, 5000; Paul house, $1,000;
Hawley's big store, SEQ, 900; Bank of
Ontonagon, $1,000; postoffice, court
house, Jail and schoolhouse, S50,000;
James MERGERS large warehouse, dock
and coal sheds, $4,000; Ontonagon
Miner, newspaper, $500; Ontonagon
Herald, newspaper, 81, 500, waterworks
plant and government brcalwaters
seriously damaged; residences reported
destroyed. At least $500 people are
left not only homeless but 1000 at
least are absolutely penniless
Later reports from the terrible con-
flagration which wiped out the town
of Ontonagon show that the first re-
ports were not in the least exaggerated.
A list of the burned buildings makes
the total $40, including the match
plant, hotels, county Jail, two school
houses. twelve saloons, eight stores
and four churches. In the Catholic
church the dead body of an infant was
burned, it having been taking there
for safety. An old German lady named
Mrs. Perl1 became bewildered as the
flames surrounded her home and was
burned to death. The homeless citi-
zens were left in an entirely destitute
condition and had not neighboring
towns sent aid at once the suffering
would have been terrible. Gov. Rich
has issued an appeal to the citizens of
the state to help the unfortunate peo-
pie. The town of Ironwood raised
81, 900 cash and great deal of clothing
and provisions within "a hours. Eight
car loads of provisions and clothing ar
rived within As hours. Wisconsin sent
tents enough to accommodate 1000
persons temporarily and sent men to
set them up. Sheriff Corbett feared
some toughs had designs upon the re-
lief depot and telegraphed Gov. Rich
for company of militia to give pro-
lection. The vaults of the county
treasurer and prosecuting attorney
were cracked open by the heat and
their valuable contents burned. Gen
eraf Manager Comstock says that he
does not think that the Diamond Match
. Co. will rebuild.