The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-09-28
Several Buildings Des-
troyed Near Onto
nagon.
Others Are in Great Danger
Other Items OF Interest Picked Up
Around the Metropolis of the
Great Copper Country.

lutrt are sun MY -rtNcu t'hto UP III
the "yShite city" sheltering one hundred
people, men, women and children. The
number OF State tents put up by the mil
| tia over three weeks ago, was log.
Families have been slowly moving out
until today, the above is the total num-
Der OF tents now in use.
The question which every thinking man
will now ask is, what are these people
or some OF them-now in the tents going
TO do this winter To answer is diff
cult, but il would seem, from careful OBJ
seryation OF the situation, that an intel
ligent reply to such question would be
'why the relief committee must get a
who need il, to put up some sort of a
shelter"
The committee has at its disposal quite
| a quantity OF lumber, which has been
donated, also stoves and cooking
utensils, which with the $685. AZ, now
in the relief fund and the money, (which is
still to come from outlying cities and
towns, which have been heard from, and
are known to be subscribing money, the
committee ought to be at work provid-
ing a shelter for those who need il now
and whom they know cannot go away
at least until spring. So far, less than
500 of the relief fund has been expended
and it would seem 10 an observer OF the
state OF affairs now existing, that the
committee are working rather slow along
the line where relief is most needed,
Many OF those who reside in tents would
be willing to build a shanty ofsome.kind,
which would do them for the winter. if
they could get the lumber, but for some
reason or other, building material can
not be gotten from the relief committee,
and that il the only source through
which most OF them can build.
Fall is rapidly approaching and il
something cannot be done for these peo-
pie before snow and ice makes its APP
pearance, the suffering which is bouud to
follow, can well be imagined and need
not be described. 1t cannot be that
those in charge of affairs do not realize
the real condition OF things, as they have
all spent more than few winters in this
climate and ought to know what the re-
suits of men and women, let alone small
children. living in tents here In the win
ter or even fall will be.
Mr.. Sawyer the head OF the committee,
is at present in Chicago, but when he re-
turns the News expects to be able to in
form its readers of just what is contem-
plated by the relief committee, and how
they propose to deal with the crisis,
which now seems eminent. Doubtless.
the committee are doing their best for
the greatest good to the greatest num-
ber," but, nevertheless. TO an outsider, it
would seem as il affairs ought TO be pro
crossing more rapidly.
Yesterday (Thursday) the wind blew
a gale from the southwest and kindled
anew the forest fires, which have been
smoldering about the town for weeks.
Many OF the homesteader's little homes
are in great peril as also are some of the
outlying farm buildings. The farm resi-
dence and barn, belonging TO Mr.. Joseph
Sellers, four miles from town, were totally
destroyed by fire yesterday afternoon,
with their contents. The only articles
Nr. Sellers succeeded in saving we're a
sewing machine. quilt and bed sheet.
The fire is supposed to have caught from
a spark flying into the barn from the
forest. Mr.. Sellers was out in a field
digging potatoes some distance from the
house when the fire occurred and rushed
to his home just in time to help his wife
save their children. Mrs. Sellers stated
that she was seated in the house at the
time the fire broke out, but did not notice
il until the whole rear end OF the building
was ablaze and had burned through the
wall. She says she first noticed it was
getting unusually dark, which was
caused by the smoke, but she could not
hear the fire on account OF the roaring OF
The wind and the smell of smoke had no
significance, as they had become accus-
toned TO that for weeks past. In a few
minutes the fire broke through the rear
end of the house and she had to fly for
her life with two children in her arms
The barn was already nearly consumed
at this time, when Mr.. Sellers appeared
and rushed into the house to save bis
other children and some furniture OF
household goods il possible. His hair
eyebrows and whiskers were singed, az
he had to get out quickly 10 save him.
self.
The burning OF the Sellers farm house
was a sad blow to that family. Mr.. Sci
lers lost his home and contents in the
Ontonagon connagation month age
and had removed to his farm, happy in
the knowledge that he had, at least, q
protecting roof for his wife and little
ones during the winter. Now he ishome
less again and, as he says, ten times
worse off than before.
The Ontonagon Herald may be a little
late in reaching its readers this week, on
account OF the non-arrival OF the de
lDquent tax list for Ontonagon county
which must be published this week.
Siyert Olson, the furniture dealer, re
turned Saturday afternoon from St