The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-10-04
DESTRUCTIVE FOREST FIRES
It'll Raging In Wisconsin and Color.
ado Towns Destroyed Immense
Amount of Property Burned-Loss Of
Life.

Amount of Property Burned-Loss of
Life.
st. Paul, Mimi, September 3O.-Tne
forest fires which have been burning
in various places throughout western
Wisconsin for the past few DAYS were
famed into furious storms Of flame by
yesterdays winds and did great dam
age throughout Chippewa, Barron.
Dunn, st. Croix and Polk counties.
A general destruction of telegraph
wires makes the reports very incom-
pIete, but it seems that the villages of
Clayton, and Poskin nave
been wholly or partly destroyed; that
Cumberland has suffered heavy losses
and that Glenwood, Barron, Prentice
Phillips and Turtle Lake were saved
only by great efforts. Reports Of loss
OF life are coming in, but have not
been verified except in one instance. A
railroad bridge and trestle over 700 feet
long on the Soc Line west of Barron
was burned last night and trains are
running by another route.
Fires nave been checked in places by
rains and the subsistence of the winds.
A rough estimate places the aggregate
loss at from $4,000, 900 to IS, 900. 900.
Denver, Col, September 3O.-Reports
from the western portion of TIE state
continue to tell Of the ravages of the
forest fires, which bid fair to devastate
the greater part of the forests of the
state.
A special from Glenwood Springs, the
centre Of the burning district, says:
The fires in the mountains near here
have taken fresh life today, owing to
high winds. The sun has been nearly
Obscured all day and the atmosphere
is heavq with smoke. The fire east of
GlenwoOd Springs is fortunately in an
unsettled portion of the county and
aside from the immense loss by the
burning Of timber, no loss has occur
red up to the present time. The stock
on the range as far as heard from has
escaped the fire.
Milwaukee, October 1.-The pecuni-
airy damage wrought by the forest fires
in the northwestern part of the state
cannot be estimated at present. 1t
may amount to anywhere between one
and five million dollars. Many days will
elapSe before the extent Of the ruin of
the fiery element will be known. A
general rain is falling through the
state tonight. This undoubtedly will
put an end to the devastation.
Clarke, Chippewa and Barron coun-
ties appear to have suffered the great
est destruction. Over 100 people are
reported missing in the vicinity of
Rice Lake. Sixty families are homeless
near Cumberland, seventy-fjve at Tur-
tie Lake and many farmers have lost
all their property and had a narrow
escape themselves. 1t is also believed
that many persons were burned to
death in their efforts at fighting the
flames.
Many narrow escapes are reported.
A party of loggers in charge of Au-
gust Mason, of Chippewa Falls, have
returned from the camps at Cedar
lake. They had a race for their lives,
having a handicap over the flames of
eight miles, and having but one mile
to cover to reach a place Of safety. The
race was most exciting and resulted
with the probaI lie loss of four of the
crew. The party made for a lake,
mOunted on horses. With the e n
smoke almost u~nbearable, the first
section of the lOggerS and their horses
barely reached the goal in time, dash
ing into the lake where they remained
until the flames passed over. The four
men who were in the rear are missing
and are believed to have persisted.
Many persons sought refuge in wells.
Reports from Cumberland late this
afternoon say that the town is in dan
ger. Business was suspended and the
citizens were out in force in an en-
deaVOr to check the fire.
Denver, October FOREST fires
which are devastating the western por-
ton of the state are burning with I'M
abated fury, only subsiding where fuel
is exhausted. A special to h Rocky
Mountain news from Red Cliff says:
Nothing is heard in Eagle county out
talk of fire, from all sections. From re-
ports of new territory in the grasp of
the demon and when a prOvidential
storm comes and the summing up is
made, there will be little timber to Tell
the tale. A new country now sending
volumes of SmO heaVenWard is Bear
Willow and Lake Creeks, a magnificent
stretch of forest.
Ranchmen on Core Creek are hav-
ing a desperate time saving their
homes as the Gore range foot hills
send a continuous run of flames for
miles. a regular gale is blowing
throughout the county, which means
the fast travelling fire will be driven
forward a hurricane of 1ameS Inc
deserted village of Gold Park was re-
duced to ashes yesterday. This town is
four miles from Holy Cross and the
miners of that district fought nobly
to save the place. The Holy Cross
country suffered greatly. The mines
nave closed down and the miners are
utterly exhausted from their night and
day battle with the fiend. Many mar
row escapes are reported from differ
ent parts of the county
AS yet no loss of life has occurred, but
many head of cattle and horses have
been burned up. Notch mountain, OPP
posite Gilman, is a blackened ruin, on
the Holy Cross slope. Every bridge on
Homestead creek is destroyed; the
corduroy section of the rOad is burned
out and innumerable giant pines inter-
lace along the line of raw Thousands
of acres of the finest timber is a thing
of the past. In several places there is
no doubt that the fires are of incendi-
- orioin Cottonwood and Cattle
creek ranches are being deserted. Shaft
houses in the mountains have been
swept away. There seems now nc hope
of staying the fire anywhere. The only
hone is in rain or snow.
Colorado Springs, Col, October l.
This city had a visitation of fire this
afternoon which threatened for four
hours to destroy the entire business
district. The wind was blowing at the
rate of fOrty-five miles an hour from