The herald., 1897-10-06
Raging in the Great Lake
Region
CANADIAN TOWNS BURNED UP
BURNING TIMBER PREVENTS
ASSISTANCE
Chicago's Suburbs Surrounded by
Prairie Fires and School Children
Pressed Into Service
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
OTTAWA, Ont, Oct. 5.-The village of
Casselman, thirty miles southeast Of
Ottawa on the Canadian Atlantic rail-
way, is reported to have been destroyed
by fire. Fire is raging in the brush sur
pass that way. All telegraphic and tel
ephone communication has been cut off.
All trains leaving here on the Canadian
Atlantic railway are Cancelled. Appii-
cation was made to the Ottawa fire bri-
gade for assistance but nore could be
sent. The latest information from Cas-
Oelman is to the effect that the whole
village has been destroyed and that the
village of Southindian and Cheney have
also been burned. These villages are in
the center of a large numbering district
and bush fires are raging in the vicinity.
THE LAKE REGION
CHICAGO, Oct 5-Extremely hot
weather for the month of October is
now prevailing in this section. During
the past twentyfour hours the ther-
mometer in this city went up to s6 de-
grees. and, according to the Signal Ser
vice records, this is the highest point
that has been registered for the month
Of October in twentyseven years. Dense
smoke aggravated the conditions.
On account of the drought the last two
months everything is as dry as tinder
and forest and prairie fires are numer-
Gus. Lake Michigan has been made
almost unnavigable on account of the
smoke and fog. Captains on incoming
vessels have reported most alarming
state of affairs. Many had not slept for
forty-eight hours on account of the
watchfulness that was necessary. Boats
picking their way through the straits
of Mackinaw were practically ham
pered. Landmarks were utterly oblit-
Grated and lights rendered indistinct
at distance of the length of the steam
er. The smoke is attributed to excessive
forest fires. Hunting parties careless
in their camping are thought to have
started the broad conflagrations.
Marine underwriters are apprehensive
Of numerous standings. on account of
the smoke and bulletins from the lower
end Of the lakes are watched for with
great anxiety.
are surrounded by prairie fires and
dense smoke overhangs large part Of
the territory lying south Of Seventy
fifth street. Hundreds of acres of prai
rie have been burned over and thousands
of feet of sidewalks and fencing have
been consumed. Firemen in this part
of the city are completely exhausted
fighting prairie fires by day and night.
Most Of the fires are started by sparks
from locom olives and not infrequently
by mischievous boys. who set the grass
on fire for the excitement.
A dispatch from Brown, Ind, says the
most disastrous prairie fire known in
the history of Marshall county is now
raging. Hundreds Of acres Of land in
the northern portion of the county, COM
prising what is locally known as the
Big Marsh" is one vast smouldering
waste. At times when famed by a
breeze, the fire bursts into blaze, and,
darting across clover fields, corn fields
or meadows in the vicinity, lays waste
everything in its path, stopping only
when headed off by ploughed fields or
highways.
Many instances are reported where
cattle, in passing over the treacherous
ground, have Leoken through into the
burning peat and perished. Farmers
are kept busy day and night fighting the
flames and preventing the destruction of
their homes, while the lack of water
makes the battle almost helpless
Just west of Walkerton more than
1000 acres have been swept of every yes
tige of vegetation, many tons of hay and
of fox,
The large barn of Jos Krkley was in
the path of the flames, and, together
with its contents. composed of hay, grain
and farm machinery, was burned. With
fire on every side, great anxiety is be-
ing felt for the safety of towns without
fire protection. Nothing short of
drenching rain can possibly check the
progress Of the flames.
Firemen in all the outlying suburbs of
the city were kept busy today fighting
prairie fires. The most serious fire was
one which started about 2:30 o'clock this
afternoon near the Grand Trunk tracks
at Ashland Near the starting point
were several stacks Of hay and this was
soon ablaze. The high wind famed the
blaze and it spread rapidly in south
erly direction. One hundred pupils in
the Elsdon school, Archer avenue and
Ridgeway streets, were dismissed. as
precaution as the flames advanced. The
children carried water pals and with
brooms assisted the firemen. The fire
burned until evening, when it was ex-
tinguished one mile south of the starting
point. No buildings were damaged. but
several hundred feet of sidewalk and a
number Of fences were destroyed.