Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-10-03
FIERCE FOREST FIRES.
Seas Of Flames Rolling Over Wisconsin
and Colorado.
LOSS OF LIFE WILL BE GREAT
undrcds of Families Lose Their
HOmes-In Some Cases the
Fires Are of Incen.
diary Origin.

Milwaukee,, Oct. 3.-The pecuniar,
| damage wrought by the forest fires ir
the northwestern part of the state can.
not be estimated at present. 1t may
amount to anywhere between 81, O00, 00(
and s5,OoO,0O0. Many days Will eiapse be.
Tore the extent Of the ruin ~ the fiery
element will be known. A general rair
mas been falling through the state
which will undoubtedly put an end to
the devastation. fa
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, go families are homeless near
Cumberland, rs at Turtle Lake, and
many farmers have lost all their prop
erty and had narrow escape them
selves 1t Is also believed that many
persons were burned to death In their
efforts at fighting the flames and were
unable to escape when their efforts
failed
a special from Rice Lake says: Re-
lief parties are now out through the
border districts south and west of this
city. The loss Of life from the dIsas-
trous forest fires cannot now be esti-
mated. hut 1t will be great. The work of
getting to the burned districts Is slow,
as all the bridges are down. Over 100
persons are miss ng. Many dead bodies
have been found. and they are burned
beyond recognition. The remains of one
man by the name of Nelson was found
at the bottom Of a we'll, where he had
gone to escape the fire At another
place woman and two children were
found in a well. The woman was so
badly burned she will die. At another
place where man had been blowing in
field his charred remains and the car
casses OF his horses were found.
Much Stock Destroyed.
All the cattle, horses and other stock
in a large district have been burned to
death. Even the wild animals could not
escape the flames.
The wind is southeast and blowing at
the rate of about 40 miles an hour. Fires
are now raging in the har1 wood tim
Der lands between this city and Cum
berland, but fortunately the district is
lightly p pulated. The mills in this city
have been shut down and another re-
serve fire department has been ordered
out.
August Mason of Chippewa Falls. one
of the most extensive loggers in Wis
consin. has returned from a trip to his
camps at Cedar Lake, Barren county.
He had an exciting time with forest
fires and reports the entire loss of all
his camps and outfits at Cedar Lake.
He also believes that four Of his men
have lost their lives in tie flames.
Mason and his men started for the
railway station, but the flames rapidly
gained on them, and men and horses
were forced to plunge into a lake for
safety.
-Four 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. Their names are
Sam Popple. William brown and two
McCiill brothers, all rcsd nts Of Chipre-
wa county.
The scene. Mr.. M'son says, was ter
rible On every side there was sea Of
fire rapidly growing and destroying ev-
everything Knapp. Stout & Co.'S camps
and outfits in that locality are all burn
ed also over 500 oxen. Dozens Of farm
houses that Mr.. Mason passed in the
morning were in ashes In the afternoon.
Hundreds are homeless. many even los
Ing all their household goods.
The following estimates Of losses were
made by prominent Zimmerman OF
Chippewa Falls: Northwestern Lumber
company $22. 900: August Mason. $50, 900;
Mississippi River Lumber company,
$50 900: Chippewa Logging company,
$50 ono: Knapp. stout & Co.. $22h 900.
The losses include standing timber. logs.
camps and camp outfits. The loss OF
farm property in Clarke, Barron and
Chippewa counties is estimated at $780,
600. Latest reports say that all hopes
of checking the flames have been aban-
doned. Nothing but rain will save the
enormous amount of property that Is
burning and threatened.