The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-02

Milwaukee, Wis, Oct IA special to
the Journal from Rice Lake says Re
lief parties are now out through the
burned districts south and west of this
city. The loss of life from the disas-
trous forest fires cannot now be esti-
mated, but it will be great. The work
of getting to the burned districts is
slow, as all the bridges are down. over
100 people are missing.
Many dead bodies have been found,
and they are burned beyond recogni-
ton.
The remains of one man by the name
of Nelson were found this morning at
the bottom of a well. where he had gone
to escape the fire. At another place,
woman and two children were found in
a we'll. The woman was so badly burn
ed that she will die. At another place,
where a man had been plOwinS in a
field mis- charred remains and the car
casses of his horses were found to-
day.
All the cattle, horses and other stock
in a large district have been burned to
death.
Even the wild animals could not es-
cape the flames.
The wind this morning is southeast.
and blowing at a rate of about 40 miles
an hour.
Fires are now raging in the hardwood
timber lands between this city and
Cumberland but, fortunately, the dis
trict is lightly populated
The mills in this city have been shut
down, and another reserve IRE depart
ment has been ordered out.
FOUR LOGGERS LOST.
Chippewa Falls, Wis, Oct August
Of n oft
tensive Ioggers in Wisconsin, returned
today from a trip to his camps at Cedar
Lake, Barron county. He had an exert
ing time and reported the loss of all his
camps and outfits at Cedar Lake He
also believes that four of his men nave
lost their lives in the flames. Mr.. Ma
son left the camps with his crew on
Thursday morning, and they narrowly
escaped with their lives.
When they started, the fire was eight
miles away, but the wind was blowing
Il gale and the flames were rapidly
gaining on them. All rushed for a lake
a mile away and when the edge or the
water was reached the tlre was upon
them. Men and horses plunged into the
lake and remained there until the
flames had passed over them. The heat
and smoke was almost unbearaDIe- tOAr
men of the crew, who were in the rear
OF the larger party, are missing, and
Mr.. Mason says there is no hope that
they are safe.
The scene, Mr.. Mason says. was ter
rible On every side there was sea or
fire. rapidly growing, and destroying
everything. Camps and outfits in that
locality are all burned, also over 5OO
oxen. The means of the animals could
he heard in all directions. Dozens OF
farm houses that Mr.. Mason passed IN
the morning were in ashes IN the aIter-
noon. Many buildings that were at
least a. quarter of a mile from the
woods were destroyed, the flames run
ming along the meadows and fences.
Hundreds are homeless, many even
losing all their household goods. Fred
erick Weyhauser has just returned from
a trip through the fire regions. He can
give no estimate of the amount OF MS
pine losses.
The following estimates Of losses
were made by a prominent lumberman
here: Northwestern Lumber COM
many. $50. 600; August Mason, $1,000;
Mississippi River Lumber company, 81
600: Chippewa Logging company, $780,
600: Knapp. Stout & Co., S225,OOO-
The losses include standing timber,
logs, camps and camp outfits. Ine loss
of farm property in Clark, Barron and
Chippewa counties is estimated at SSoV'-
600.
Latest reports say that all hopes Of
checking the flames have been aban-
doned Nothing but rSin will save the
enormous amount of property that IS
burning and threatened.
MILLIONS LOST.
Milwaukee, Wis, Oct. 1.-The Pc
cuniary damage wrought by the forest
fires in the northwestern part OF the
state cannot be estimated at present
It may amount to anywhere between
81. .OOO. 600 and S5.000000. Many days viii
eIapse before the extent of the ruin OF
- e. IL rr-iII hn lxnONNn a