Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1906-05-26
FIERCEFORESTFIRES'
NORTHERN MICHIGAN PENINSULA
DEVASTATED BY FLAMES.
Fire Swept Five counties-SeveraI
Million Dollars of Property Destroy
ed-Wind Was Blowing a caIe-5o
Mile Stretch Burned.

Escanaba, Mich, May 20. - Four
known dead, a score or more persons
missing, hundreds Of families home
less, several millions of dollars of
property burned, four towns wiped out
entirely and a dozen more partially;
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 & 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 a 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 persisted in the flames.
Territory devastated-Five counties,
Marquette, Menominee, Delta, Alger
and Dickinson.
The territory fire swept is so miles
square.
Towns totally burned:
Talbot, Mich. 100 population; only a
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
| fercest along the Escanaba & Lake
Superior line.
Thousand Fires Famed by Wind.
1t is in this district that thousand
or more of the small fires have been
smoldering for weeks. Nothing was
thought of these fires, because they
were not dangerous. but it only need
ed wind to fan them into a mighty
sheet of flame. This wind came on
Friday afternoon.
Toward noon the wind began to blow
from the west at the rate of 80 miles
an hour. By 2 o'clock the velocity
was 40 miles, and by o'clock the fires
seemed to have united into one large
one that extended to a so mile stretch,
and swept along with a fury 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 were 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 we're hurriedly loaded with per-
sonal effects and the race against the
flames began.
In some instances whole families
came in. Many. however, reported
that some Of the members had been
separated and left behind. Some of
the towns were hemmed on all sides.
AT Talbot and Quinnesec a hard fight
was put up. but in the end fine places
had to be abandoned.
Later Report.
The fire ragged for a distance of GA
miles along the line OF the Escanaba
& Lake Superior railroad, and for 80
miles havOnd Channfpp tho Terminus