The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1906-05-21
MICHIGAN AND WISCONSIN FOR.
EST FIRES CAUSE IMMENSE
DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.
10 LOSS OF LIFE As FAR As KNOWN
NUMBER OF TOWNS WIPED OUT
AND THOUSANDS or PEOPLE
RENDERED HOMELESS.

est fires in the Upper Peninsula Of
Michigan and In Northeastern Wis
consin have almost swept blank an
area of 100 square miles. Whether
or not any human lives were lost 1t Is
impossible to say; nor Is 1t possible
to tell at present how much damage
to property, industry and means of
communication has resulted, but it is
estimated the loss will be several mil
Mons of dollars. Six thousand people
are homeless. 1t Is estimated. The
damage done. .epitomised as well as
possible under the circumstances, fol-
lows:
Ralph-Town of 100 people, almost
wiped out.
Alfred-Population 200. every house
and huge piles Of logs burned.
Salvoie-Population 400. boarding
house. railway station, big stores Of
logs and ties destroyed.
Quinessec-Population 100, de-
stroyed; all residents homeless.
Cornell--All but one store burned;
300 people homeless.
Northland-Mill and six houses
burned, many of the 600 people home
less and without food.
Antoine-Mining town: houses and
one lumber mill burned. boarding.
houses destroyed and all but few OF
700 people homeless.
Felch Branch. Northwestern Rail.
way-All bridges burned and scores of
homesteaders in that section, covering
ten square miles. are homeless. 1t Is
feared there was loss of life here.
Northland Branch, Escanaba and
Lake Superior Railway-Five million
feet of cut logs burned, bridges down
and line tied up completely. perhaps
for weeks.
Menominee, Delta, Dickinson, Mar
Quette and Schoolcraft counties bear
the brunt of the loss. The Isaac Ste-
phenson Lumber company, the Pitts
burg and Lake Superior Iron company,
the Escanaba Woodenware company
and other concerns suffer the great
est loss. Some Of the towns partly or
wholly destroyed belong entirely to
these corporations.
Thousands Are Homeless.
Three trainloads of homeless peO.
pie have already arrived In Escanaba
Thousands OF others are believed to
be homeless and suffering for want
Of food, clothing and other necessities
There will be intense suffering, OF
that there Is no question. Arrange
ments for aid and offers to give as
sistance are reaching this city from
Lower Michigan and Wisconsin. which
must bear large share Of fire losses,
directly or indirectly the result OF
these forest fires.
Late rerorts indicate that the fire Is
being swept northward and that 1t Is
dying out In many places. The wind
has changed SO that such towns as
Esoanaba, Marquette and the larger
places In the district are out of dan
ger. But there Is still an immense
amount OF hardwood timber. the best
In the country, in the path OF the
flames.
Foster. Mich. has had narrow es-
cape. but only one house was burned.
At Woodlawn, Mich. several cars OF
ties burned Other reports say that
Spring Valley, Mich. near Stambaugn,
is surrounded by flames and people
are fighting hard to save 1t. 1t is
also said that the big hardwood FAC
tory at Hermansville, Mich. has been
destroyed. Perronyille. in Menominee
county. was surrounded by flames.
but was saved. At Loomis, Wis,
schoolhouse was wiped out and the
teacher and pupils had q narrow es-
cape. The only rumor OF large loss OF
life comes indirectly from Saunders,
in Iron county, which Is said to have
been burned. 1t is absolutely impos-
Eible to get definite information.
The big bridge at Thomaston. over
the Black river. has dropped into the
stream and no trains can get through.
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