Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1906-05-25
FIRE Loss IS 100000.
REPORTS OF DISASTER WERE EX-
AGGERATED, FOR LITTLE TIM
Der WAS DESTROYED.
PROBABLY 2OOLOSTHOMES
Quinnesec Burned, but Blaze Was Due to
Bonfire Behind Stable and Not
Flames in Forest.

cial. ALI danger from forest fires is
past. It is raining this morning and
the wind has died out. The loss every
where is believed to have been greatly
exaggerated. Little standing timber was
destroyed, most of the area burned over
being choppings.
The |. Stephenson company at Wells,
Mich, was the heaviest loser, and its
losses will not be more than $4,000.
Most of the buildings destroyed were OF
frame construction. Half of Talbot
was wiped out, but the loss is only about
$4,000. The sawmills destroyed were
all small ones worth not more than from
$4,000 to $4,000.
Loss Only 100000.
The total loss in the burned area will
not be more than S20O,0O0 and it may
fall short of this amount by consider
able.
The number of settlers burned out has
also been greatly exaggerated. Some
papers have placed it as high as 1000.
Considering the way in which the north
ern county is settled, it is certain that
not 500 have been burned out, and it is
probable that the actual number who
lost their homes is not more than 200,
and it may not reach this amount.
Quinnesec Was Destroyed.
The most damage is at Quinnesec,
Mich, where a large town was &C.
strOyed, but the fire there was due not to,
4 forest fire, but to a bonfire in the rear
of a livery stable. There are no woods
around Quinnesec.
Downpour Removes Danger.
ESCANABA. Mich, May 21.-With
the coming of a heavy downpair of rain
this morning throughout the district
devastated by the forest fires which
swept this region on Friday, danger of
a further spread of the flames was re-
moved. SmOuldering fires are being ex-
tinguished and bringing relief to lumber
company officials and people in general.
Neither officials of lumber or railroad
companies affected by the fire will yet
make any estimate of the entire loss,
owing to the fact that detailed reports
from some districts are still lacking. 1t
is estimated here that $4,000 people are
homeless but are being cared for and
many are already erecting new houses.
The following message from Gov. Fred
NJ. Warner was received by ex-senator
0. B. Fuller this morning:
Would like all information in regard to
forest fires and what you think ought to
be done.
Mr.. Fuller replied that while a num-
Der are homeless that they are being
cared for by local companies and citi-
zens. With the exception of Quinnesec
and Talbot, the losses in the villages are
not covered by insurance, and in those
places it is announced that about one
half of the property destroyed was in
sured. AS far as can be learned no
homesteader who lost his property car
ried insurance, while lumber companies
in but few instances had insured their
camps or cut timber.
Little Loss Near Menominee;
MENOMINEE, Mich, May 21.-For-
est fires have destroyed the camps of the
Holt Lumber company of Oconto, at
Hollis spur, and 100000 feet of logs.
The loss is over $4,000. The damage in
the whole district is probably over $780,
0OO There were no fatalities.
Little Danger Now.
MARQUETTE, Mich, May 21.-Ad-
vices from the forest fire zone indicate
that the worst is over. Fires are re-
ported burning in a few scattered dis
tricts, but for the most part the flames
have died down. The standing timber
through which the fire cOursed will be
saved if cut within year or two. There
are reports of persons missing, but as far
as known only one man has persisted,
Peter Iafonde, q cook, who burned to
death in a Delta county logging camp.
Some restitution has been occasioned.
AS far as conditions in this immediate
territory are concerned, there are prob
ably fifty farmers who have suffered loss
and many of these are practically desti-
tute.
Says Loss Is Small.
WELLS, Mich, May 21-The mana
ger Of the l. Stephenson company has
made the following statement regarding
the forest fires: THE forest fires along
the right of way of the Escanaba &
Lake Superior railroad has been greatly
exaggerated. There was some fire in
the old slashings around Northland and
also at Cornell. A small single mill
belonging to j. d. Colborn and section
house belonging to the Escanaba &
Northern and several log shanties were
burned at Cornell. At Northland one
small cottage was burned. One locomo-
tive. q gasoline log loader and about
twenty cars loaded with logs were dam
aged by fire on the Escanaba & Lake
Superior railroad.
The log loss will not exceed 100000
feet. 1t will in no way interfere with
the logging operations of the l. Stephen
son company"