82 Report of the Forest Commission. 



Mackinaw City, Mich., September 3. — Navigation through the Straits is so 

 dangerous on account of the dense pall of smoke from the forest fires which 

 hang over the lake that vessels can not proceed through St. Mary's river except 

 at great risk. The big steamer " Manitou " on arriving at Mackinac Island was 

 turned back to Chicago. 



Ironwood, Mich., September 3. — Tremendous forest fires are prevailing 

 throughout the upper peninsula of Michigan and northern Wisconsin. The 

 district between Watersmeet and Bessemer, over 50 miles, is a mass of flames, 

 and homesteaders are making desperate efforts to escape. Gogebic has been 

 destroyed, and it is expected that Wakefield will experience a similar fate. 

 Ironwood, Bessemer, Hurley and Saxon are surrounded by fires. There is 

 very little water, and thousands of men are out with picks and shovels, and 

 succeed in keeping the flames back only by throwing dirt upon the burning 

 stumps and brush. 



Norway, Mich., September 3. — Forest fires have been raging for several 

 days, and yesterday the flames encircled this city. Several hundred men are 

 assisting the fire department to extinguish the flames. It is impossible to see 

 more than 20 rods on account of the dense smoke. Many thousands of cut 

 logs and posts have been consumed. A few miles from here Halems & Sons 

 had 100,000 feet of logs on skids burned. Joseph E. Bergensen, a logger and 

 farmer, had a new barn and stock burned. 



Ishpeming, Mich., September 3. — The gravity of the situation continues to 

 increase every hour. The long-continued drought displays no sign of abate- 

 ment, while every morass adjacent to the city is aglow with flame. A dense 

 cloud of smoke envelops the country for many miles, obstructing business and 

 offering constant menace to travel. Dust and ashes are falling in showers. 



Much credit is due to the railroad for its service to the suffering. Box cars 

 are furnished, and into them the household goods of the homeless are being 

 taken. No one is yet reported missing from Ishpeming. but the rapid approach 

 of the fire and the inflammable condition of vegetation, together with a 

 vitiated atmosphere and a temperature registering at blood heat, all threaten 

 great damage. 



{From the New York Tribune.) 



Detroit, September 4. — Reports from northern Michigan show that yester- 

 day's rains were general, and that the forest fires have been materially checked 

 where they have not been entirely extinguished. In the counties of Dickin- 

 son, Houghton and Ontonagon, in Michigan, and Florence and Marinette, 

 Wisconsin, it is estimated that 700,000,000 feet of white pine and hemlock 

 have been scorched. 



Ewen, Mich., September 4. — The heavy rain of last night has cleared the 

 air of smoke, and has deadened the fires. A refreshing breeze off Lake 

 Superior has lowered the temperature about 50 degrees. It is thought that 

 nearly every foot of standing pine in Ontonagon county is burned — fully 

 500,000,000 feet. The Nester estate has lost 90,000,000 feet; Trout Creek 

 Lumber Company, 20,000,000 feet; Diamond Match Company, 150,000,000 feet. 

 The rest is owned by homesteaders at Paynes ville and Bruce's Crossing. 

 Many cattle and horses were burned, but no human lives were lost. 



