The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-08-29
oNroNAooN WIPED OUT.
Whole Town is Burned. w.sa Lo-s Aggregat
ing s3.ooo.ooo.


Ontouagon was completely wiped out
by forest fires last Tuesday. The total
losses will amount 60 about So 900. 900
The Diamond Match company carried
$500, 900 insurance and the rest of the
village had about the same amount dis
tributed among the companies doing
business IN Michigan. The fire, which
had been smoulderIng for weeks on the
west side Of the village. was driven INTO
the village about 1880 p. m. by terrific
gale OF wind. The Diamond Match com
pany's west side mill caught fire. then
the large lumber yards, and from
that the fire swept over the rest OF the
village.
The loss OF lie as far as Is now known
is limited To three persons. There are
no large neighboriug towns aud the
small ones Immediately responded and
exhausted themselves ia their effort 10
give needed relief The news was wired
over the country and new supplies are
going in by the carload from every direc-
ton. Nearly all temporary needs have
been supplied.
The Ontonagon Herald ordered n new
lot OF type and presses leiore the fire
was hall over and wiz probably issue n
paper on Monday.
The water and cleo. ic power house
was the only building OF Importance
saved. As soon as possible men were
put at work cutting of the service pipes,
in order that water might be secured TO
put out the burning ruins. Then it was
found that the cylinders had been worn
out while pumping for the fire and ma-
chinists began at once 10 repair them.
II is impossible to give amy idea OF the
exact amount Of property destroyed.
Every house in town was destroyed.
Many people went down on the beach,
Others out on the Rockland and Green
land roads. The railroad company ran
their train all night TO take out the
people who wished to go. II was about
two o'clock when the town took fire and
at six o'clock not building was left
standing.
There were many ac's OF quiet beroism
and much vandalism. Open barrels Of
! liquor were taken from the saloons and
left standing in the streets. Many men
were crazy drunk and left their wives
and children TO shift for themselves as
best they could.
The fire spread very rapidly, several
large boats in the harbor being burned
to the water edge and sunk, the crews
having hardly time to escape alive.
Some think the Diamond Match com
pany will sell what pine it has and
others that il will build small mill To
give employment to some of the men
with families who have no place TO 90.
The railroads are carrying all supplies
and all fire sufferers free, and that
division OF the telegraph company has
been made free to those unable TO pay
for their messages.
Survivors OF the fire are rapidly scat
tcring among friends and relatives living
in other cities OF the peninsula, All
these have stories TO tell OF the fearful
flames, and most OF them had narrow
personal escapes. OF those who went 10
Marquette, perhaps the one who has the
most interesting story is Mrs. Corbett,
vile Of the sheriff OF Ontonngon county.
She was living with her family in rooms
above the Jail, which was the place OF
confinement OF three prisoners, two OF
whom were Duncan Beveridge and Jim
Redpath, who are awaiting trial for the
murder Of MolIie Beveri,lge, for which
John Mcdonald was convicted on cir
cumstantial evidence and served
several years in the Marquette
prison, and was lately pardoned
by the governor Mrs. Corbett,
her mother, Mrs. Emmons, and three
children, were in the living apartments
OF the Jail, when the fire broke out. As
IL came close enough To them 80 they
knew the jail would go, the two women
put on their best clothes, and dressed
each child in their Sunday Go-to.meeting
garments.
The prisoners in the inil below were
getting greatly excited, especially crazy
umbrella pcddlcr who was serving time
for petty ofiense. There was no
deputy about the jail and Mrs. Corbett
did not know what iu do with the prls.
ouers Finally the village marshal came
and she unlocked the doors and the
marshal took the three prisoners with
him. lie had no place to put them aud
no handouts even, so after walking them
over 60 the other end OF the village he
let them go.
The strange part of the tale comes
The two men, held to await trial for
murder. did not fly TO the woods and
try TO escape. They came back to th,
jail and assisted tho women and children