Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-08-27
LAID In ASHES.
The Michigan Town of ontonagon
Swept by Fire.
IT WILL NOT BIZ REBUILT.
Forest Fires Reported Raging Around IRON
wood, Mich, and Hurley, Wls.-ExplO-
sion at a Powder Mill-A Pulley
/! Company's Plant Burned.

GREEN BAY, Wis, Aug. 96-0ntona-
gon, Mich, was wiped out by fire last
night. The fire has left absolutely
nothing of the town, and the scene is
one of abject horror. Two thousand
people who were comfortably
housed Tuesday morning are now
homeless and without food or shelter.
A message was received from the
mayor of Ontonagon at l2:45 a. m. to
the mayor of Green Bay asking for as
sistance, saying they want tents and
food for 1900 people. Yesterdays
catastrophe began with the small
fires in the swamp just south
of town, to which no attention was
paid, as they were not considered dan
gerous But the wind freshened to
gale from the south, the swamp fires
were driven into the seasoned lumber
piles in close proximity and before eff
fective defense could be made the
flames were beyond control and driv-
ing straight for the village at rate so
rapid that nothing was thought OF but
the salvation of human lives In re-
Spouse to appeals the railroad COM
panies sent out all available en-
gines and cars. The Chicago, Mil
waukee & st. Paul railroad trans
ported the homeless people to Rockland
in box cars, where they were given
shelter. The loss will aggregate sew
eral million dollars, and it is doubt
full if the mills destroyed will ever be
rebuilt, as nearly all the pine in that
country has been cut. Many of the
people lost all they possessed, and are
not only homeless, but penniless as
we'll, and will have to receive outside
assistance, or suffer from cold and
hunger this winter. 0ntonagon was
the oldest town in the upper peninsula
and hardly will be rebuilt.
Destructive Forest Fires.
IRoNwooD, Mich, Aug. 26.-This city
and Hurley, Wis, just across the Mon
treal river from Ironwood, narrowly
escaped total destruction by fire yes
terday and for some time it looked as
if there would be repetition of the
Phillips and Sandstone disasters of
last summer. A terrific wind started
about noon and blowing the smolder-
ing forest fires surrounding the place
into flames soon covered the cities with
a dense smoke and sparks and hot Gin
.ders. The fire departments from both
cities responded and the citizens turned
out in body and fought the flames
back for hours Several houses in the
outskirts were soon on fire, and al
though every effort was made to save
them four dwellings of poor families
were burned. As.evening came on the
wind changed and the danger was
:averted. Everything is as dry as tim
der here, and unless there is rain soon
there is danger of both towns being
destroyed.
Explosion at Powder Mill.
XENIA, O., Aug. 2G.-At eight a. M,
the dry house at the Miami powder
mills located at Goe IS station six miles
from here blew up killing two men,
Charles Figge and Charles Eichman.
The men were probably at the dry
house making repairs. Both men were
married. The same house blew up ten
years ago killing three men. The
shock was distinctly felt here and the
smoke plainly seen.
A Pulley COmpany's Plant Destroyed.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, Aug. 26.-The
Chattanooga Pulley Co.'S plant, with
stables and several small buildings,
were completely destroyed by fire last
night. Two firemen were seriously
injured. The loss will reach $50, 900;
insurance, 500. 600