The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-05-25
FOREST fires RUIN
TOWNS IN MICHIGAN
IMMENSE LOSS is INFLICTED ON
TIMBER IN UPPER
PENINSULA.
Hundreds of Homesteaders Have Lost
Their All and Farms Are a
Barren Waste - Vast Tract Is
Burned Over.


Deeba, Marquette and Alger counties
are vast areas been wiped out, and
others partly burned.
Four persons are known to be dead.
From SO to 100 are missing. A dozen
lumber towns have been swept out.
and others partly burned.
A stretch of territory over ESQ miles
in length, reaching from Newberry, in
Luce county, on the east, to Bessemer,
in Gogebic county, on the west, and
north and south between the shore line
of Lake Superior and the southern
boundary of the upper peninsula, has
been dotted with forest fires since
Thursday morning.
Crossing the state line into Wiscon-
sin the flames have swept as far south
as Peshtigo and covering large part
of Marinette county.
During Saturday forenoon every
thing indicated that the gale would
sweep its fires over the entire peninsu-
la. At noon, however, the wind shift
ed and died down, and the fires are be-
lieved to be less furious. At least
they are not spreading. A renewal of
of the gale, however, would start the
flames marching again.
The four lives known to be lost were
those of three children unidentified,
who because separated from their par
ents in Quinnisac. The other was
Easton La Fond, a cook in the lumber
camp at Hates.
Hundreds of homesteaders and farm
ers in isolated districts have not been
heard from and fears are entertained
for their safety.
Reports from Michigan.
Reports have been received from the
following named Michigan towns, Civ
ing the results of the fire:
Ralph-Almost wiped out
Alfred-Every house and huge piles
of logs burned
Salvoie Boarding house, railway
station, big stores of logs and ties de-
stroyed.
Quinnisec-Destroyed all residents
homeless.
Sawmill six houses, and
one store burned
Northland-Mill and six houses
burned; many of the 600 population
homeless and without food
Antoine-Mining town; houses and
one lumber mill burned, boarding
houses destroyed, and all but a few of
700 people homeless
Foster-Saved after all night fight;
one house burned.
Spring Valley :. Surrounded by
flames; town partly burned.
Woodlawn-Saved after hard fight;
railroad cars burned on siding; 20 cars
of lumber destroyed.
Homansville-Town saved, big hard
wood factory destroyed.
Barronville-Surroun by fire, but
saved.
Loomis-Town saved after school
house had been burned; teacher and
pupils had narrow escape.
Saunders-Sawmill, hotel and four
residences destroyed; 100 persons
homeless.
Birch-Saved after Northern Lum-
Der company had lost 100000 worth of
property.
Pentoga- Reported to be wiped out
Dagget-Wiped out.
Powers-Wiped out.
Niagara-Had narrow escape; so
buildings burned; paper mills saved.
Talbot-All buildings but four
burned.
Metropolitan-Partly destroyed.
Spalding-Partly destroyed
The following reports have been re-
ceived from Wisconsin towns within
the area of the forest fires:
Observation-Disclosures in by flames:
millions of feet of lumber burned.
Embellishments by flames;
many cars loaded with lumber burned.
Property Loss Heavy.
1t Is impossible to make an estimate
of the losses, but they will go over
million. The losses to standing tim
Der alone will be enormous. There
were millions of feet of cut lumber in
the woods through which the fire
swept. Some of the heavy losers In
Delta county alone are:
l. Stephenson Lumber company, $50
600; Escanaba & Lake Superior rail-
road, $4,000; John Duncan, jobber at
Kingsley, $4,000; Joseph Charlevoix,
jobber, $4,000; Pittsburg & Lake SUI
perior Iron company, $4,000; kellogg
Switchboard and Supply company, $1O,-
900; Mashek Chemical and Iron COM
pany, $4,000; Escanaba Woodenware
company, $4,000.
These figures do not include stand
Ing timber. In addition to the losses
named there are hundreds of home
steaders who have lost every dollar
they had and their farms are barren
wastes. The condition prevailing in
Delta county is also found in the other
four counties swept by the fire.