The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-01
GREAT HAVOC
In WISCONSIN
Lumber Regions Suffer
to the Extent of
Millions.
Farms and Towns in the Fiery
Path Destroyed and Loss
Of Life Reported.
Special Dispatch to Tho Call.

CHIPPEWA FALLS. Wis, Sept. 30.
Forest fires which have been spread
ing for DAYS show no signs of abating
in Chippewa and Clark counties. Out
side these two counties the fires have
generally been checked by rain or have
burned everything in sight.
The devastated district extends
through the counties running from Alb
hottsford along the Wisconsin Central
for 200 miles and north for rs or 100
miles 1t is estimated that 200, 900, 900
feet of pine have been destroyed Many
farm houses have been destroyed Many
4 hundreds of farms in this county alone
have lost all their buildings and grain.
Organized bands of farmers have been
trying to stop the flames, but with lit
tie success. No estimate can be placed
upon the damage done to gathered
crops, buildings, lumber and growing
timber. The fires are thought to have
been started by farmers in clearing
their lands.
MILWAUKEE,, Sept. 30.-Reports re-
ceived at the railroad office in this city
are to the effect that the forest fires in
the northern part of the State were
quenched by heavy fall of rain late
last night. The heaviest loss was suf-
fered at Cumberland, where twenty
five families were rendered homeless by
the flames and a large sawmill plant,
valued at $225,000, was wiped out.
Only one death, as far as known, has
resulted, that Of Mrs. Jacob Correson,
at Drywood. Two children of Mrs. Cor
resOn were seriously burned while at
tempting to rescue their mother. The
pecuniary loss is not expected to reach
over 81, 100000
ST. PAUL, Sept. 30.-A Cumberland
CWis.) special to the Dispatch says:
Cumberland presents a sad sight to-
day. The mill portion of the city is a
smoldering heap of ruins. The loss is
about 1885, 900. The forest fires were
swept into the city from the southwest
at about o'clock last night by tor
nado. The air was filed with smoke
and burning cinders, and the fire start
ed on the east and west sides of town
about the same time. The flames spread
with rapidity that threatened not only
the entire city but the lives of the in
habitants. Every part of the town was
filed with smoke and flying firebrands,
and the people were running in every
direction panic stricken with horror.
Two freight trains took about a hun
dred people to Shell Lake, and hum
dreds more sought the western lake
shore for safety.
Meanwhile the Volunteer Fire De-
partment did heroic work in trying to
save the business portion of the city.
The wind had now assumed the voloc-
ity of tornado, and the atmosphere
was lurid with flames and the air was
filed with flying firebrands A timely
downpour of rain, lasting about twenty
minutes, enabled the firemen to check
lrav.z ftor -r.c%
side of the city, but no human power
could save the city east of the Omaha
Railroad, including the lumber yard and
mills of the Beaver Dam Lumber Com
pany and residences. among the latter
the fine house of Mayor Waterman.
MILWAUKEE,, Wis. Sept. 30-A dis
patch from Rice Lake says the forest
fires in that vicinity were checked by
light rains last night. Fifty farmers
near Rice Lake lost all their possess
sions. The Johnson Bros Lumber
Company, six miles west, lost its mill
and stock of hardwood lumber, with
no insurance.
Lake, is reported destroyed. The 500
Railroad bridge near Alemena was
burned. stopping all trains on that line.
No loss of life has been reported The
greatest damage has been done in the
townships of Cumberland, Turtle Lake,
Clinton, Stanford, Barron, oak Grove
and Cedar.
Northwestern Lumber Company lost
1000, 900 feet of saw logs above Stan
ley
Fiield, Wis, reports much damage
in that region. The road from the Pike
Lake summer resort to Fifield is i'm
passable on account of fallen timber,
and a number of guests will be obliged
to remain there until the road is
cleared.
New Richmond, Wis, reports that the
fires around Clear Lake and Glenwood,
which for time threatened to destroy
those towns, are now nearly out, al
though much damage has been done.
Sprague, a small town on the Omaha
road. is rumored to have been partially
destroyed. Communication with the
place is Interrupted.
RIIcIMESc p0PTInM mr.