Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 May 1891 — FORESTS IN FLAMES. [ARTICLE]

FORESTS IN FLAMES.

Many Lives Lost in a ’Pennsylvania "Wood. Reports from Bellefontaine, Pa., state that fires have been raging in that vicini- | ty for four days; several lumber ramps, ! farm houses, saw mills, and an immense stretch of lumber have been destroyed. Tbe damage to property is estimated at $50,000, with incalculable loss to growing timber. Fires are still raging along the Alleghenies. Reports from Bradford, Pa., say the woods are still burning steadily, bnrnlng thousands of feet of cordwood, and threatening isolated houses and mills. A special from Warren, Pa., says the fires which have been raging in that section since Saturday afternoon are about put. Over one hundred oil rigs have been destroyed so far as known, and many tanks of oil and small buildings. Wages, at the rate of $1.25 per hour, were freely offered for men to fight the fire. The forests near Pembina Wisconsin are also ablaze. Over four thousand acres of valuable timber lands are aflame within a radiu9 of seven miles of Huntingdon, and In distant parts of the county the woodland is being swept away at an alarming extent The mountain fires are beyond all human control, and can only beextlnguisedby a rainfall. The sections suffering most are in the east broad top region, where the fire extends nearly to Walls’s tannery in Fulton county, and on Tussey’s mountain. Bay’s hill and Warrior ridge. The farmers in the whole burning district havesustained inseparable loss to fencing, and hundreds of acres of growing grain have been ruined. The various fires originated from either the railroads or wandering bands of gypsies. • A dispatch from Austin, Pa., gives the following story of the burningof the work train in the forest fire near there. TJie train had proceeded a few miles into the hemlocks when the intense heat and blinding smoke of the forest conflagration put an end to its further progress. An atr tempt was then made to reverse the course of the train and retreat from the approaching fire, but it was too late. The train was overtaken by the flames. All hands jumped from the cars and sought safety in a creek that flowed near by. Then came an unexpected phase in the thrilling experience of the men. The water of the creek was boiling, those who leaped from the train found themselves in water whicl» was nearly scalding hot. The terror stricken fire-fighter crouched while the tornado of fire and smoke rolled over and beyond them. All but five of tho party escaped the fury of the flames in this way, but the heat was so intense that several of the number were badly burned. Superintendent Badger did not jump Into .the boiling creek. He ran ahead of the flames and was overtaken by them and burned to a crisp. Four other men who followed him shared the same fate. A rescuing party went out after the fire-fighters. Thirty of the men were found so badly disabled that they were lying almost blistered, bruisedandsufforing Intensely .Fifteen of the men are so badly burned that sever* al are expected to die. Search was made yesterday for the missing members of the party, but the only body found was that of Badger. It is believed the missing men perished.

IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN. .... A Path of Fire From the St. Louis Hirer to . /■ . Lake Superior, A dispatch from West Superior, Wis., of the 13th, says: Fires have mowed a pathway from the St. Louis river to the south shore of lake Superior and extending over a territory from two to twenty miles in width. The damage to property can not be estimated at this time, but the bulk of the loss will rest in standing pine destroyed and logs already cut arid ready for the saw. At present the greatest damage is reported from along the line of the Omaha railroad, on both sides of which, and extending to lake Superior on the north, the lire is still raging fiercely. Late last night a report reached the city that Stocking’s camp—near the Brule river and 2.000,000 feel of logs had Been burned. Mr. Stocking says that from al he can learn the damage in the timbered districts east of Superior has been very heavy. Word came to-day from the south shore that the fire is rapidly reaching out in the direction of several million feet of logs belonging to the Payton, Kimball & Dardey lumber company. Over one hundred square miles of virgin forest has been utterly destroyed, and the head .of one firm puts their loss at 11,500,000 in standing timber. _____

IN MICHIGAN. i*lre» Still Gaining Ground and Mora Towns Wiped Out. Detroit, Mich., May 13.— Clinton, Clare oouety, and Walkervillo, Oceana county, towns of 100 inhabitants each, are added to lhe list of those surrounded by forest fires. In each case the destruction of the homes of inhabitants was accompanied by heavy loss to the lumber firms having saw mills at the places named. The loss to these firms on buildings and machinery amount to over SIOO,OO. In addition to this, an amount not easily to be reckoned has been lost In tho destruction of the forests. At present there is little hope that the fire can soon be stayed, and the entire lnmbcr district of four or five counties is at its mercy. There has been little rain this season and the country is in the same condition it was in when it was devastated in 1871. Thompsonvllle is not entirely out of danger, but the citizens are back-firing around the town and doing everything possible to prevent It getting into the village Warren’s log rollway,’ eight miles north of Baldwin, is in imminent danger should the wind shift to the north. Today several hundred come from the.jpountry with the same story—that of losing all buildings and their contents, and escaping with what they had on their backs. Last night Mr. Johnson, near Branch, left his home for a short time and on his

return found that his barn and outbuildings were in a short time to be destroyed. He immediately set-to work to fight the flames but was driven away by the intense heat i It is a (pitiful sight to see the.condition In which woipen are placed. The towns along the Frankfort & Southeastern railway are in danger, as the fires are reported along the entire road. The fires west of Manistee junction are out and no more danger is feared in that direction. Steven’s camp, six miles west, suffered a large loss after a hard fight for three days. In Home instances assistance has been asked of railway companies for fire sufferers to be transported to places where tiny had friends, they not being able to save more than the clothes they wore. The fires in the woods this year have been fully as disastrous as those of 1871. At Beyer Station, three miles from here, a tract six miles long and three miles wide lias been burned over, destroy! ngeverything. Four farm houses and barns were burned. At Paris the entire town has frequently been called out to fight the fire in order to save the town. The poor settlers hereabouts have been driven from home, saving absolutely nothing.