Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1906-05-23
NORTHERN MICHIGAN PENINSULA
DEVASTATED BY FLAMES.
The Northern Michigan Peninsula
Fire Swept Five counties-severaI
Million Dollars Of Property Destroy.
ed-Wind Was Blowing a Gale-50
Mile Stretch Burned.

property burned, four towns wiped out
five counties devastated and hundreds
of square miles Of territory fire swept.
This is the dreadful picture that the
northern Michigan peninsula presents
today after the worst forest fire since
the Peshtigo disaster in 1871.
General Superintendent w. E. Wells
Of the Escanaba G Lake Superior rail-
way, along whose right of way the
greatest loss occurred, has returned
from a trip of inspection over the fire
stricken area and says that the flames
have gone down, and for the time be-
ing the danger is over unless new
gale arises to again fan the embers
into flames.
The following summary briefly tells
the story. The dead:
Peter LaFOnd, a cook, smothered in
lumber camp near Katos; body found
tonight.
Three unknown children dead at
Quinnesec, Mich; separated from
their parents while the village was
burning and persisted.
Scores of homesteaders and woods
men are missing and many have prob
ably perished in the flames.
Territory devastated-Five counties,
Marquette. Menominee, Delta, Alger
and Dickinson.
The territory fire swept is 50 miles
square.
Towns totally burned:
Talbot, Mich, 100 population; only
few houses left standing.
Quinnesec, Mich, 400 population;
only one house remains.
Saunders. $50 population; all wiped
out.
Niagara. Wis, 300 population; all
wiped out. -
Towns partially destroyed:
Northland, Cornell. Antoine, Spring
Valley. Kingsley. Woodlawn, Foster
City, Sala and Metropolitan.
Details Of the fire are gradually COM
ing out of the burned territory All
day long refugees and trainmen have
been coming in, telling tales of misery
and suffering, as well as heroism and
brave deeds that were enacted while
the fire was at its height. The reports
all show that the fire was fully as Sc
rious as first reported. The burned
over district extends from a point 10
miles out of Escanaba, to Talbot on
the south. to Claiming and Quinnesec
on the west. to Sands on the north and
back to Escanaba. The flames were
fiercest along the Escanaba & Lake
Superior line.
Thousand Fires Famed by Wind.
1t is In this district that a thousand
or more of the small fires have been
smoldering for weeks. Nothing was
thought Of these fires, because they
were not dangerous, but 1t only need
ed a wind to fan them into a mighty
sheet Of fame. This wind came on
Friday afternoon.
Toward noon the wind began to blow
from the west at the rate of 30 miles
an hour by 2 o'clock the velocity
was 40 miles, and by 4 o'clock the fires
seemed to have united into one large
one that extended to SO mile stretch,
and swept along with a furv that no
human hand could stay. The flames
seemed to center from a place called
Northland, and from there swept down
toward Escanaba. Throughout the fire
area thousands of woodsmen we're put
to work to stay the fire. but It could
not be fought.
The first to be driven in were the
woodsmen in camp and the homestead.
ers. Hundreds of small and prosper.
GUS farmers lived there. and occupants
Of these farms hurried to the nearest
towns for shelter. Cattle and stock
and houses and barns ana their con.
tents were hurriedly loaded with per.
sonal effects and the race against the
flames began.
In some instances whole fami,ies
came in. MANY however renorted
that some of the members had been
separated and left bebind some of
the towns were bemmed on all sides
At Talbot and ouinpeeec a hard agbt
was nut nm hut IN the end sne n,ac.s
had to be abandoned