Charlevoix county herald., 1911-07-15
AuSable and
OScOda Burned
Twin Cities on East Shore Com
pletely Destroyed.
Barge Loading Here Rescues 800
People From Flames.

The twin cities OF Au Sable and
Oscoda, located on the shore Of Lake
Huron south Of Alpena. were destroy
by fire last Tuesday. The fire origin
ated In the outskirts OF An Sable
about three O'Clock in the afternoon,
soon spread TO the slab piles Of the
Loud Lumber Co., then to the can
Mug factory and In a very short time
the entire town was burning. A
50-mile wind from the west drove the
fire through Au Sable and carried II
to Oscoda across the river. The pop
ulation Of the two towns was about
1000 and there was great danger Of
many lives being lost, the fire spread
Ing so rapidly that people left all their
belong ngs and fled for safety.
The steam barge Nike Of Chicago,
Captin Meyers which is now taking
on cargo Of pine lumber on the West
Side, was the means Of saving the
lives of large number OF the inhabit-
ants. The NikO tied up at the Loud
Company's dock at Au Sable at about
the time the fire started and SEEING
the danger which the people OF the
town were in Captain Meyers went at
once to the authorities and offered TO
take on board all who came to the
docks. In short time the boat was
crowded with men. women and child
rem anxious for safety Captain
Meyers kept the barge tied at the
dock until both the boat and dock
were afire and the lines had burned
The fierce wind showered the barge
with pieces of burning boards but the
three lines of hose on the boat saved
it from serious damage.
Reports in state paper exaggerated
the story of the rescue. saying that
hundreds Of people were left 10 perish
on the dock when the barge pulled
out but according 10 Captain Meyers
not one person was left. He also
states that there Is no, truth in the
statement that he and his crew held
back the crowd with guns and clubs
until the women and children were
aboard. All who were at the dock TO
60 were taken on 10 an orderly man
ner.
After leaving the dock the barge
stood by for an hour and half and
took on several men from small boats
and then proceeded to Port Huron ar
irving there at 5:00a. M, Wednesday.
BY 700 o'clock Mayor Bell of Port
Huron had the 2S3 refugees brought by
the Nike assigned TO hotels and
restaurants for breakfast and by
1000 O'Clock the citizens Of the town
had raised a relief fund Of $500.
Captain Meyers has received much
praise for his part In the rescue Of
nearly 800 endangered people but he
modestly says that 1t was no more
than any ordinary man would do.
Besides the destruction Of Au Sable
and Oscoda forest fires have done
considerable damage in other parts Of
the state. Four lives were lost at Au
Sable but the number lost In the iso-
lated parts is not known. Alpena
suffered loss of S5OO,0O0; the little
village Of Waters has been destroyed.
Onaway, MilIersburg and other
towns have suffered considerable dam
age; the White Lumber Go. of Royne
City lost several camps and six steam
leaders. Cobb & Mitchell lost camp
near Boyne Falls and the Ward Co.
lost three camps.
The fires in this section OF the state
are under control at present and con-
ditions are not SO dangerous as during
the first Of the week.