The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-09-25
FIRE THREATENS
SEVERAL TOWNS
Rain Only Can Save Northern
Wisconsin and Upper Mich
igan From Ruin.
RESIDENTS FLEE FOR LIVES
Flames Rapidly Eating Through Timber,
Absolutely Beyond Control;
Town in Ruins,

Milwaukee, Wis, Sept. 23.-Forest
fires are raging in Northern Wiscon-
sin and Upper Michigan which threat
en- to wipe out several towns if rain
e not come to quench the flames.
In several places residents are report
ed as having had to fee for their
lives, and at others trains are loaded
with goods and people, ready to fee to
larger centers if the flames reach the
critical stage.
Already n Wisconsin village -
North Forks, on the 500 line - has
been devastated by the flames, while
two other towns and a wide area of
farming interests are in constant
peril.
Two Towns in Danger.
Woodboro and Gagen. which were
reported wiped out Sunday night, are
still untouched by the flames, although
in imminent danger of destruction.
North Forks, with its cluster of a
dozen houses, is gone, licked I'D by
the hungry flames Sunday afternoon.
Its handful of settlers are homeless,
penniless and dependent On the chart
ty of the surrounding towns for their
existence. And ever if the still glow
Ing embers of the hamlet are dying
and gray, the fire god is sweeping on
ward, eastward, to where the village
OF Woodboro awaits in helpless ter.
ror.
RhineIander Still Safe.
Rhinelander is for the time being
safe, and there appears very little
danger of it becoming flanked on the
west, where the flames are raging
~iercely. With the network of small
lakes and streams and with a wide
belt Of farming country lying between
its outskirts and the forest, there is
little chance Of the flames reaching
the town.
Sunday night a fire engine and $500
feet OF hose from the Milwaukee fire
department reached the city and will
be kept here until the danger is over.
Gagen Apparently Doomed.
Twelve miles to the east a broad
cir Gle of flames surrounds the village
of Gagan, a milling town, with perhaps
SOC Inhabitants. All hope of saving
tn" town has been practically aban-
doned, although a desperate fight is
being waged against the constantly en-
croaching flames.
Men have sent their wives and chill
dren to Rhinelander. and all day long
the dusty smoke-veiled road has been
choked with fleeing settlers, house.
hold goods packed on wagons, cattle
and other live stock, wild-eyed and
panic-stricken, all hurrying to a place
of safety. Conditions here are much
the same As they we're at Hibbing and
other towns of the stricken range.
Twenty-Five miles below Rhineland-
err the Ares are eagerly eating through
the timber, jumping back and forth
over the railroad tracks, absolutely
beyond control.
Six Lives May BE Lost.
Conflicting reports come from Fos-
ter City. a lumber town across the
Wisconsin line of Marinette county,
one report stating that six persons
Lost their lives and that a large num-
| Der Of dwellings were destroyed, and
that the Morgan Lumber company's
plant is understood to have been burn
| ed. Mr.. Morgan Of Oshkosh. however,
| wien seen last night denied the report
and says he has authoritative informa-
ton that the town is all right.
The fires are in close proximity to
se,e ral towns in Marinette and Me-
ncminee cou~ties, Niagara, Ingalls, and
! Faithorn seeming to be in the greatest
danger.
Sun Hidden All Day.
Lac La Belle, north of Calumet. is
surrounded except on the water side
by flames, and at Bette de Girls, also
mol tn of Calumet, the people are fight.
ing to save the lighthouse and other
buildings. Ashland reports Lake Su.
perior skirted with flames and the
smoke so dense that the sun was hid.
den all day. making navigation slow
and difficult. Fifield, a few miles
south Of Ashland, is reported in dan.
ger Of destruction, and aid in the line
Of fire apparatus has been sem from
| MINNEAPOLIS. Communication with Fl
field is cut OF.
Danger IL Very Great.
Menominee, Mich, Sept. 22.-Never
! since 1871, when the forest fires swept
| Menominee and Marinette counties
| causing a loss of 1900 lives and mil
| lions OF dollars in timber, has the dan
| ger of a widespread confagration beer
as great as at present. So close are
the flames to Niagara, on the Menomi
! nee river. Faithorn Junction and In
| gals that everything Is packed ant