Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-07-13
TWO MICHIGAN
TOWNS WIPED
OUT BY FLAMES.
Fire Jumps Across Au Sable
River, Leveling Both Vii
lagos and Leaving Entire
Population Penniless.
HEAVY DAMAGE DUE
TO FOREST FIRES

TO FOREST FIRES
Although Loss is Not as
Great as Exaggerated Re-
ports Indicate, it Will be
Heavy; Deaths Reported.
Detroit, Mich, July 1.-THE de-
struction Of the twin villages OF Au
Sable and Oscoda, probably due to
forest fires. and the 100000 fire at
Alpena, which was not due to this
cause. gave rise today to exaggerated
reports OF heavy damage and possible
loss Of life from forest fires In the
northern counties Of the southern
peninsula of Michigan.
Towns along the Detroit and Mac
kinac railroad from Posen In Presque
Isle county to Onaway In Cheboygan,
suffered considerable damage but
many towns that we're last night re-
ported burning are today reported
safe. These include Lewiston, Turner
and Alger.
Reports OF loss of life at Au Sable
and Osccda were persistent last night
and today. but 1t was impossible to
confirm them. An unconfirmed rumor
reached Detroit that the burned bodies
Of three men and woman were found
at Au Sable today.
Six towns between Alpena ana Che
yoygan suffered serious property
losses from the first hres. At Metz
threatened the village.
AT Hilersburg the Gardner Peterman
mill and thirty-one houses were de-
stroyed.
At Onaway the section OF the VII.
razed.
+ AT Tower freight house, twenty
houses and thirty freight cars were
burned.
La Rogue and Posen are also report
ed to have sustained severe losses.
Quartermaster General w. G. Rog.
ers of the state militia has made hur-
ried preparations at Lansing to for
ward q supply Of tents to Oscoda to
give temporary shelter to the home
less.
Twin Towns Burned Down.
Bay City, Mich. July 12.-The twin
towns. Oscoda and Au Sable, opposite
each other at the mouth Of the Au
Sable river, and having q combined
population of 1900 people. are In
ashes, while such Of It's inhabitants -
have not escaped on board the steamer
Congo, or the Detroit and Mackinac re-
lief trains. are shelterless in the
swamps and fields about the still
burning towns.
At midnight last night a carload Of
food, hastily collected here by Mayor
Woodruff and volunteer committee,
was dispatched to the two cities, as
about 1000 people remained around
the ash heaps that were once their
homes, having had nothing to eat
since yesterday noon. No loss Of life
has been reported although the fire,
under the influence of fifty mile
wind, spread with such rapidity that
men and women dashed from their
houses, dropping such bundles of val
uables and clothing as they had start
ed to pack. Many people living ON the
shore side Of the town started for safe
ty along the beach but within ten
minutes the heat was 30 intense that
they were driven into the water and
continued their way wading along the
shore.
Lumber Firm Heavy Loser.
The heaviest loser in H. M. Loud
& Sons company of which Congress-
man George A. Loud OF the tenth
Michigan district is the head. The
company's loss Is nearly three quar-
ters OF q million dollars. Its proper
ty consisted Of two saw mills, plan
ming mill, shingle mill. bolt mill. lum-
ber yard, cedar yard. pump houses.
stores and residences. The total
losses are probably in excess OF one
and half million dollars.
The fire originated in slab yard in
Oscoda and in half an hour the entire
town was in flames. The flre quickly
jumped the Au Sable river and soon
Au Sable was also In the grip Of
blaze that reached the town limits on
every side.
A passenger train on the Detroit
and Mackinaw railway got around the
towns by running on one lumber spur
and arrived here at midnight. Flames
were then running hundred feet In
the air declared the passengers and
the intense heat scorched the sides OF
the train and cracked the windows.
A special train carrying fire ap-
paratus from Bay City to Alpena In
response to q call for help from that
city jumped the track in trying TO
pass around the two towns and was
held until nearly midnight before the
track was repaired. It then proceeded