The Detroit times., 1911-07-13
Scores Of Victims
Aided at Au Sable
~ GILES KAvANAuoH.
'Tlrnsss an.el,f \


AU SABLE, Mich, July 13.-There
are between $50 and 200 people now
In Au Sable. A few stragglers may
! be seen going over the ruined villages
of Au Sable and Oscoda, but the
rendezvous is at the depot where q
more daaed. bewildered, discouraged
and Aeaft-bfoken crowd OF people
could not be imagined.
The depot Is piled full of provisions
and supplies for immediate relief,
But there 10 no place to take them.
There are no houses, no buildings,
) no shelter of any kind.
The victims or the fire have not
yet come to-" They do not appear
able to realize the terrible calamity
that has befallen them. Tired out by
lack Of sleep and rest they flock
about the depot and are given food
enough to sustain life and keep them
on their feet until other arrange
/, ments are made.
The Loud Brothers, on which the
greatest loss has fallen, are stunned
by the disaster of Tuesday Henry
slept on the beach that night and was
out hghting FIRE at his cottage on
Vanetten lake He went into town
ness Of ashes, smoke, twisted iron,
melted glass and labyrinth OF debris
heaps. II was with difficulty that |
could get him to speak. He feels the
I disaster keenly.
Bruce Loud, one OF the younger
generation. was more than active. The
disaster does not rest so heavily upon
his shoulders and he sees rift In
the clouds. From him | learned that
the Louds have from Ave to six years
supply OF logs yet, and although no
plans or arrangements have been
made, II was foreshadowed that pos
sibly the Loud Co. would rebuild Its
mill, although on much smaller
scale.
The special committee selected by
the directors OF the Bay City board
of commerce reached An Sable yes
terday afternoon at 3 p. m. and Inn
mediately began survey OF the sltu.
alton. This committee was composed
OF President G. J. Bousfeld, w. 3.
Cooley, David H. Hurst and Il. e.
BUCK. They looked over the situation
very carefully; they went around and
across the burned area, and found
utter desolation everywhere. They
counted only Ave piles Of household
goods that had escaped the flames.
A rumor has gained circulation
that sixty OF the people OF An Sable
and Oscoda were drowned at the pier
to which they had rushed before the
flames to take one OF the steamers
which was to carry them to a place
OF safety. These people. according 10
the story, got upon the pier In the
binding smoke too late to catch the
steamer, which was forced to throw
of its lines and move out into the
lake to get away from the names.
There was no way for them to
return and to remain upon the pier
meant death nv burning, 30 II Ia said
they jumped into the lake and were
drowned. would not place too mitch
credence upon this report unless
there is something more tangible 20
base the statements upon, but "
would not be surprising IL some lives
were lost this way.
Messages received here about
a .. m, last night, said that the VII
laea of Waters was burning and IN
danger of total destruction and ask
ing that aid be sent by local depart.
ment Chief Engineer Harding at
once sent steamer with 100 men
and hose to the scene.
Aid was also sent from Craving
The are which broke out In the lum-
ber piles OF the Henry stephens Lum-
ber Co. threatened to spread through
the village, but reports from there
this morning say that no buildings
were destroyed but the lumber was
practically all burned.