The Sentinel=record., 1911-07-12
MICHIGAN IS
 FIRE SWEPT
INHABITANTS OF TWO TOWNS HURRIED TO SAFETY ON BOAT
 AND BY RELIEF TRAINS.
Lineman Succeeds in Rounding the 5Iaze and Makes Report That There is Small Death List---
 Danger to Cheboygan.

Detroit, Mich, July 11.-With lhardly more than half dozen houses lleft standing in the villages of Au Sable and Oscoda, with the city of Alpena fighting disastrous fire all lday, and with fires raging along the line of the Detroit and Mackinac Railroad from Au Sable to Cheboygan and at other points in .the northern lpart of the peninsula, heavy rain is needed tonight to prevent a possi- ble heavy loss of life.
 Today's fires at Alpena and Os- Icoda were not due to forest fires. but originated in slab yards that were ldry as finder from the long drouth At Cheboygan, a mountain of saw Idust caught fire and the flames threatened to spread through the lefty.
 l The smaller towns of Metz, Millers- burg and Tower. .hlong the Detroit land Mackinac Railroad were reported to be burning today, and Lewiston. Montomorency County, and , Alger land Turner, in Arenac County, are said to be threatened by forest fires.
 Wire service from Au Sable north to Cheboygan was interrupted this afternoon but news of the fires at
 
 lAlpena, Osconda and Au Sable was forwarded by train to East Tawas where wires were available for trans mission to Detroit.
 c. A. Little, manager of the Vest ern Union Telegraph Company al IAplnea, who got out of Alpena on a Itrain at 7:00 D. m., and arrived at East Tawas late this evening, said the train passed through no fires until they were approaching Au Sa- ble.
 That city was a mass of flames he said. T don't believe there are half dozen houses left. Many refugees were taken from Au Sable Ion the steamer. Others flocked to lthe shore of Lake Huron and were ldriven into the water by the intense lheat. Many found refuge in the fields near the railroad right of way lstanding guard over little piles oi lpersoual effects that they were able Ito snatch from their homes as they lwere fleeing at the approach of the flames. Women and children were lcrying from terror and hunger as lthey viewed the burning village Ill lthe distance. A relief train was hur- lrIediy made up to carry the homeless women and children to East Tawas.'
 There are rumors that some lives were lost in the fire at Oscoda and lAn Sable, but it was impossible to- might to obtain any confirmation.
 East Town, Mich, July 1.-The first train from the fire swept town of Au Sable tonight brought rumors lof the loss of several lives. One hum ldred survivors were aboard the res lcue train. They said several lwomeI land children were suffocated by the dense smoke and others had lost theil life in the flames.
 Mountain of Fire.
 Bay City, Mich, July 1.-The towr of Oscoda 76 miles north of Bay City, has been wiped out by fire the town of Au Sable, opposite it ant across the Au Sable river, is now oI fire, and the 1.S00 inhabitants of th' two towns are being taken on board ] a big steamer that arrived at Al Sable, and train made up of freigh cars, picked up in the Au Sable ant Oscoda freight yards, while another train is being sent from East Tawa' to take away refugees.
 A lineman succeeded in getting around the fire and tapped the wire four miles south of the town. H' lsaid there had been small loss of If Nothing further has been hear' from Alpena, 51 miles north of Os coda, but message has just been pre- ceived saying that the relief trail with fire apparatus sent there iron lthis city was wrecked somewher north of East Tawas.
 The fire at Cheboygan, where huge mountain of sawdust which ha : been burning for weeks. got beyon control yesterday. is now in a fur ious blaze. but 1t isa's known whe 2 |ther there is danger to the city n Lewiston. Alger and Turner, all mort Iof here, are in danger from flores