The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1906-05-24
MICHIGAN FOREST FIRE
Destroys Many Villages and De-
vastates an Area Ga by 30 Niles
Stories Of Heroic Battles Were Numer
Gus, Dozens Of Towns Being Saved
Only BY the Most Desperate
Battles With Flames.

Detroit, Mich. - Fragmentary re-
ports that have reached here from
Escanabs and Gladstone, Mich. stat
ing that a disastrous forest FIRE Is rag
ing In the upper peninsula In the
nelghborhood of the two cities men
toned. II is reported that three towns
have been destroyed; that 80 square
miles Of territory have been devas-
tated and that several persons have
been burned TO death.
The reports OF loss OF life by the
forest fires are very vague and may
prove ungrounded.
During the evening persistent ef-
forts we're made TO get into telegraph
&c communication with Escanaba via
ST. lgnace, but without success. the
telegraph lines having evidently been
badly crippled by the fires. Several
brief dispatches were received, how
ever. from Menominee and Marquette.
The village OF Saunders Is reported
wiped out Of existence. Quinnezec. a
village OF 1000 population, about go
miles from Menominee Is burning.
Reports from Mcnomince estimate that
half a dozen villages and hundreds az
farm buildings viii be entirely de-
stroyed
Milwaukee. VISA tour OF the
district In the upper peninsula
OF Michigan covered by the forest
fires I'm a special train. the FIRST train
TO go through the district since the
catastrophe. shows that the fire APP
pears TO be practically out In all the
district. The fire ragged for q distance
OF Ga miles along tho line OF the Es-
canada and Lake Superior railroad and
for 30 miles beyond Claiming. the
western terminus Of the road Il
seems certain now that 1900 persons
are homeless In that district and that
1000 are left desOlate az Quinnescc.
The Quinnesec FIRE. however. was 0f
different origin from the Escanaba ERE.
having started IN a field where men
we're pulling stumps and burning de-
brls. This ire spread into the city.
three residences and the paper mills.
Then the FIRE spread into the timber
and running north for 40 miles finally
Joined the flames sweeping east OF Es-
canada. II was also learned that
Woodlawn and Kingsley. on the Escan-
aba and Lake Superior line. were de-
stroyed. and Perkins on the North
western.
The strip burned along the Escana-
ba aud Lake Superior road appears to
be 20 miles wide and the alarming ma
ture OF the earlier reports Of the are
seem 10 be thoroughly verified BY the
trip.
Stories OF heroic battles against the
flames are numerous. Dozens Of towns
were saved only by the most desper-
ate battle with the flames. North
land. town Of 900 inhabitants, was
three times threatened. First the are
swept toward the place from the north.
but was checked when two residences
we're scorched. Wagons with barrels
OF water prevented the spreading Of
the FIRE. Driven away the FIRE swept
west and then returned from that d.
rection aud again was stopped. A
third time the ere spread into a great
tract Of timber south OF the town,
which reached up TO the doors OF the
houses In that part OF Northland and
a third time was checked. Many
freaks were seen. The home Of one
man. who carried the coffin With the
corpse Of his dead baby 30 miles to
Escanaba. went back on the special
train and found his home gone but the
picket fence surrounding the house I'M
touched. The ashes OF his home had
been blown away by the gale and tho
fence was the only evidence OF human
habltatlon. The rest OF the town had
been swept away.
A remarkable feature OF the FIRE Ia
the fact that nearly all OF the refugees
are not disheartened. but are deter
mined to return and begin over. They
have only the clothes they wear. but
say this IL the fortune Of the frontiers
men.
Even II their homes are lost the ere
has cleared the land for them and this
much labor ia saved