The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-18


 Detroit. Mich. october 17.-(Special) From practically every church in northern Michigan Sunday will go up the prayers of 100000 people for rain and relief from the great forest fires which are sweeping across that whole Hecton of the state.
 From Bay city to the Straits Of Mack inac on the lower peninsula, from the Soc to the Eagle river district in the upper peninsula, all those who dare quit their battle with the flames for an hour will kneel together and offer their petitions that the Almighty will check the devastations of that resistless wall of flame which has long gone beyond all human control.
 Many farm houses that were in the path of the flames are sure to have been destroyed and with them un doubtedly were burned many of the residents. It is probable that the total number of dead will never be known, but it can hardly be less than 100, and may be more.
 Scores of others, after battling day and night to save their homes in vain, have given up before the onrush of those roaring flames and have, after innumerable escapes, come into town showing fearful marks of their strug- gles with bodies burned and scared faces and hands blistered.
 The property loss is simply incalcu- lable. The value of the timber de- stroyed will run into millions. The az gregate losses of hundreds of small farmers and residents in the three towns wiped out, Metz, Bolton and South Rogers, is probably hundreds of thousands. There are perhaps 1000 per sons homeless as a result of the fires of the last two days and most of these have lost everything they possessed.
 Deaths May Reach 100.
 Specials to the Free-Press and the De- troit News from Alpena, Mich, indicate tonight that the number of deaths in the forest fires of Presque Isle and Alpena counties will exceed 50, and may run we'll up towards 100. In the vicinity of Metz Bolton and Posen the fires have burned sufficiently to leave several hundred women and children camping with com parative safety in the open fields, but nearNhe city of. Alpena tonight the fires were so threatening that Mayor Mcknight called out a volunteer force of several hundred men with shovels to form a patrol and construct trenches to stem tha progress of the flames in the direction of the city. The same southwest wind that swept the fires through the village of Metz is still blowing tonight with con  farms.
 News has reached here of the death of en old couple named Pachinsk, who were burned to death in their home near Posen. Their charred bodies were found in the ruins of their house today. The badly burned body of an unknown man was found on the railroad track between Posen and Metz.
 It is now estimated that z people lost their lives in the destruction of the ill., fated Metz relief train Thursday even- ing. It is doubtful, however, if the names of eight of the victims will ever be known
 With the certainty that a sudden drop fin the temperature would bring untold distress upon the half clothed victims huddled in temporary shelter in the open fields every effort is being made to or ganize a comprehensive system of relief measures Today the Detroit and Mack inae railroad sent out three cars of pro- visions to be distributed among the stricken villages. One car was left at Metz, one at Bolton and one at Poser
 Several carpenters and a supply ol lumber arrived at Metz today from Che boygan and Chief Engineer Waterman of the Detroit and Mackinao railroad took charge of the work of erecting tenn porary cabins for the homeless. It is estimated that at least 800 people are utterly dependent upon assistance con- tributed from outside the burned district
 Metz Is Extinct.
 All that remained today of the village of Metz was the stone steps of the vii lage church. Charles Brinny, who had charge of lumber camp in the burned district was 6riven out of his camp last night with his wife's nine children, al in their night clothing. Brinny declared that the flames were leaping 100 feet into the air and that the path of the fire was fully two miles wide.
 Outside of Alpena district, the most se- rious report tonight is an unconfirmec ruInor from Sault Ste Marie that the { town of Gore Bay on Manitaulin Island was destroyed by forest fires today Cor, Bay is town of 1000 population. Navi gation at the Soo is still held up by smoke, but the villages near the Soc