Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1911-07-12
FOREST FIRES
| SWEEP MICHIGAN
With Speed of an Express
Train Flames Overwhelm
Settlements
LOSSES EXCEED s2,500,ooo
Many Families, 1t Is Feared,
Have Perished-.. .Destitution
Widespread.
;By Special Leased wire to New Mexican,

Alpena, Mich, July 12.-Reports to-
day from the fire-swept regions of
Northern Michigan indicate complete
and Au Sable at the mouth of the Au
Sable river, and having a population
of 1900. The towns of Tower and
Onaway are partly destroyed by for
est fires, with heavy losses at Mil
lersburg, Metz, Posen and La Rogue.
Several settlers families and lumber
camp crews near Wolverine and al
number of families near Gaylord are
missing and it is feared perished in
the flames which in places are sweep
ing the country with the speed of an
express train.
1t is rumored also that there is loss
of life at Oscoda and Au Sable, where
tie school house and the two dwell
ings are the only buildings standing.
Narrow Escapes.
Two hundred and eighty fire vic
times from Oscada, principally women
and children arrived at Port Huron
today on the steamer barge Niko,
some just managing to board it last
night when the vessel cut loose with
her bow and stern on fire. They re-
port many shelterless in the swamps
and fields still burning about the
town.
Nothing to Eat.
A carload of food was hastily collec-
ted at midnight at Bay City, and dis
patched with volunteer committee
TO Osconda where the homeless have
had nothing to eat since yesterday
noon.
Losses $2,5oo,ooo.
One of the heaviest losers in the
district is H. M. LIQUIDS Sons company,
of which Congressman George Loud
| is the head. The company's loss is
nearly three-quarters of million. The
total fire losses in the district will
probably exceed two and half mil
liens.
Bridges and Cars Burning.
High winds were general through
out northern Michigan last night and
from all over the district came re-
ports of heavy fires famed to huge
proportions by the breeze. The en-
tire population of Lewiston is fighting
fire which threatens to destroy the
! town. Alger, on the Michigan Cen
trail, and Turner on the Detroit and
Mackinac Railroad, are also in dan
ger. At Richmond, forty-eight cars
and a bridge were destroyed. In
Beaver township, Crawford county,
the town hall and several farm houses
were burned. Several lumber camps
at Montmorenci are in extreme dan
ger A. P. Jacobs, a Chicago travel
| ing man, arrived at Bay City this
morning and said there are reports
lof a number of bodies, burned and
blackened beyond recognition found
in the streets of Oscada and Au Sable
today.
! Bodies Recovered.
Detroit, Mich, July 12.-Up to noon
today three bodies had been found in
the ruins of the villages of Au Sable
and Oscada, which were destroyed by
forest fires. One of the bodies was
THAT of Samuel Rosenthal, tailor, and
the other two were SO badly charred
as to be beyond Identification.
State Fire Warden Oates received
reports today Of fires near Onaway,
Millersburg, northwest OF. Roscommon.
and in Antrim county, but said that
the telegraphic reports from his dep
uties did not indicate that any com.
munities were menaced at present.
1 Warden Oats said however, that rain
was badly needed throughout the en-
| tire upper section. OF the lower pen
insula.
/ Exaggerated Reports !; 1 Z
4 The destruction yesterday of the
twin villages Of Au Sable and Oscada,
/ and the $50O,000 fire at Alpena,
4 which was not due to forest fires,
! probably caused exaggerated reports
OF heavy damage and possible loss OF
= life from forest fires in the northen
4 counties Of the southern peninsula Of
Michigan. Towns along the Detroit
and Mackinac from Posen, In Presque
Isle county to Onaway, in Sheboygan
!, county, suffered much damage but
many towns that were last night re.
ported burning are today safe.
These include Lewiston, Turner and
Alger.
Panic Stricken Refugees.
Most OF the reports of loss Of life or
iginated from the stories Of panic
!. stricken refugees who in their mad
rush from the burning towns. saw
n many people fall from exhaustion ani
counted all these as lost, some Of thu
reports estimating the dead AZ higt
} as fifty.
+ Fatal Forest Fires In Canada.
81 North Bay, Ontario, July PAS tn,
81 result Of forest fires in northern on
t. tario, thirty lives are known to hav
!. been lost ct Porcupine, including Cal
9 tain White and family at West Dom'
and many have been injured. A hol
lpital train Is now on the way 70 IN
quois Falls. It is believed the casua
/. ties wfli number hundreds. II
II ~.
! kaneas City Gsts Watsrsd Ailk.
al Thirty.five milk dealers we're aI
/. ra1f,nA ~ xaa.os rt<v No <k{~ 80.