Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-09-15
DESTRUCTIVE FIRES
Forest Flames Have Ragged for Over
Week, Causing Severe
Losses.

| LOSSSSs
Northern Wisconsin end Minnesota
the past week have suffered the severesi
losses by fire of any year since 1898
The protracted drought which set in in
July has been partially responsible for
this, and carelessness on the part of the
people burning brush heaps has put on
the finishing touches.
For week the air has been heavily
laden with smoke-so strong that il
hurt ones eyes and had nauseating
effect. Early in the week reports OF
the destruction of timber growth and
farm property began to be circulated
and by the middle of the week the stu
'ation in many localities, became acute
and perilous to people residing within
range of the fires.
Fires started in the woods in the
northeastern part of the city and in the
towns of Wausau and Easton early in
week. Later other fires began the
work of destruction on the west side of
the river Soon the air was hazy with
smoke, the sun by day and the moon
by night being SO obscured as to re-
semble balls of fire
On Thursday fire in the town of
Stettin reached the outskirts of the city
in the southwestern portion. Firemen
and citizens were called out and by
hard work the flames were beaten back
and manufacturers property in that
section was saved. For a while, as
long as danger threatened, sprinkling
wagons were kept on the move in that
part of the city wetting down the
ground to prevent the flames from
again creeping up. On the same day
another fire, originating in the town of
Maine, swept down toward the city
and for time looked dangerous.
A timber belt IN the town OF Maine
lying between the Merrill road and the
river is reported to be burned over.
Fires started along the Merrill road
in the town of Texas and burned so
fiercely for time thatit was impossible
for teams to get through.
Further north in the vicinity of Gran
ite Heights there was another fierce
fire. The southbound st. Paul train on
Wednesday evening was held back al
most three hours by forest fires in the
town of Texas. The train crew got out
and fought flames by back firing aid
finally when it was thought safe to
make start, steam was turned on and
a rush made through the burned dis
trict.
Serious losses are reported from the
town of Elderon. Several farmers lost
buildings and farm products.
On Friday afternoon word was tele-
phoned the city that the Duncan farm
property was in danger. Men were
sent up to fight or beat back the fire, but
before their arrival the flames reached
was consumed.
The people along the Nutterville road
had several days of terror. John Ken
nedy, of the town of Easton, owns some
land near Stony creek on that road and
on Thursday night he visited that Sec
ton to see what damage had been
wrought. The fire was then at its
height and to a PILOT reporter he
described it as very spectacular scene.
He said the fire would strike the foot.of
a birch tree and in a few seconds the
tree would be one sheet of flame
The Barker & Stewart Lumber Co.
lost a considerable amount of property
in the towns of Harrison and Hewitt,
where the company has been summer
logging. Tan bark, for which the COM
pany was offered a good price some
time ago, all went up in smoke, besides
peeled hemlock logs.
In the town of Weston a fire started
in the jack pine grove south of the viii
lage of Schoield and threatened the
destruction of the street railroad COM
pany's pavilion. The company is amply
provided with fire fighting apparatus
and the flames in the woods were held
in check.
At one time it appeared as if nothing
could save the village of Moon, but
after the entire population had turned
out and fought flames for hours, the
village was finally saved. In that same
section 200, 900 feet of logs belonging to
Dennison, Liver & Coerper were con-
sumed. Another fire ragged north of
the village of Mosinee and about 100, 900
feet of hardwood timber belonging to
the Mosinee Land, Log & Timber Co.
was killed and it will be necessary to
the same company sent out crew of
men to fight fire on Four Mile creek
which threatened the concerns saw
mill. Much of that section of the couu
ty lying between the city and Eland
Jet. was burned over and at one time
the smoke was so dense that North
western railroad men had difficulty in
moving trains.
Mrs. Paul Vollbrecht a daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. VIM. Schoeneberg of this
city, came home from Court Oreilles, in
Sawyer county, driven out by fire. The
town of Park Falls was partially de-
stroyed and from almost every county
in Northern Wisconsin great damage is
reported.
| The United States forest service re-
ports that the losses will total up to an
amount sufficient to build a new navy
for the government,