The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-16
Fifteen Skeletons Found and
TwoAI1undred Are Reported
to Be Dead.
SEVERAL TOWNS ARE
REPORTED DESTROYED
Wind Tanning North Michigan
Blaze-Rescae Work Is
Unavaiiing.
Especial to the Evening STAR

ISpecial 10 Inc Evening Star-J
ALPENA, Mich. Oct16.--A relief train
dispatched from Sheboygan for the
burning towns in the forests afire north
of here has been destroyed by the
flames and great loss of life is re-
ported. Fifteen skeletons have been
found and some reports coming in to
this city say that the loss of life may
reach 200.
1t is believed that every person on the
relief train has perished. The engineer
and firemen leaped into the tank of the
tender. but were driven from that when
the water commenced to boil. heated by
the raging forest fires on either side of
the track, and were burned up as they
fell 10 the embanknents.
The relief train could proceed no fur
ther than Hawks Station. The rails
had been warped off of the ties by the
intense heat beyond there and all of
the refugees possible were loaded onto
the relief train. which consisted of sew
eral box cars and one way car.
The train then started on the retreat
southwark, but at Metz the tracks had
been burned behind it and it was
ditched between two solid walls of ter
rifle forest fire.
Two Crawl Back.
Two men, at first believed to have
been the engineer and fireman of the
train, crawled on their hands and
knees back to Posen. 1t is said that
they are SO badly burned that they
viii die
1t iy known that on the burned re-
lief train there was a Mrs. Cicero and
her three children. Most Of those on
the relief train had been taken aboard
at the towns of Hawks Station, Metz
and Pulaski. These towns were then
being swept by the flames from the
great forests and seemed doomed to
certain destruction.
1t is practically certain that all of
the inhabitants OF the town Of Metz.
including those who were taken aboard
the relief train, have perished.
Word has been received here that the
town Of Millersburg, with q population
of $50. has been destroyed by the forest
fires. The fate of the inhabitants is
unknown. 1t Is feared that all of the
people have perished.
Flames Spread Out.
The whole northeast of Michigan is
burning in spots; the sinoldering ruins
of the forest fires which a few weeks
ago did such enormous damage are
being famed into flames by the high
winds of the last few days Fears are
felt for the safety of several thousand
persons
Urgent appeals have been sent to
railroad officials in Detroit for imme-
diate relief measures, and 1t is likely
that before the day is over several
fully equipped relief party trains will
be dispatched for the burning regions.
Alpena, itself, was threatened for a
time, and the fire department turned
out and fought all night. The wind
veered little today and carried the
flames in another direction, saving the
town.
A dispatch from Posen, just received
here says that George Boston, a trav-
cling salesman of Bay City, who was
on the Metz relief train, has just ar
rived there, having walked and crawled
With three others from the ruins OF
the relief train. All were badly burned
He says one car of the train was filled
with women and children and that of
these he saw at least twenty burn up
Fighting FLAMES.
Fire In the woods between Baltic and
Trimountain assumed such proportions
last evening that it was necessary to
call out the fire department. The wind
drove the fire towards Baltic. threaten
ing the main buildings in the vicinity
Men fought the flames all night. An
other dangerous fire has broken out
near the copper range tract at Red
Ridge. The Atlantic fire department is
fighting It. Northwest of Calumet for
est fires are burning much timber.
The dispatcher of the Detroit q
Mackinaw RAILROAD at East Tawas,
stated over the long distance telephone
to the Associated Press, that he does
not know how great was the loss Of
life in the burning of the Metz relief
train He has been and is making
every effort to get into communication
with some office near the scene of the
fire.
Reports he says, have come to his
office in various ways of heavy loss
of life but he knows absolutely moth
ing that is authentic. The relief train
was made up of several box cars and
a way car Tho last report the dis
patcher received about 1t last night
was that the women and children from
Metz We're being placed aboard the
train to be taken out of danger.