Lancaster Daily Intelligencer

THE MICHIGAN SUFFERERS,

A Business Man's Account of the Terrible

Devastation and Distress,

Charles P. Crosby, president of the

Michigan fire relief committee in New

York, has received the following letter

from Waldo M. Johnson, a prominent

business man in Detroit, whose statements

can be relied upon :

Herewith: I enclose voucher, also Mer-

chants' and Manufacturers' fire relief com-

mittee acknowledgment of your timely

and liberal remittance of the 12th instant,

which is the largest yet received from any

one source, and I assure you that the citi-

zens of Michigan will gratefully appreci-

ate what New York is doing toward alle-

viating her distressed population in the

burnt districts. No language can ade-

quately describe the terrible suffering

these people have passed through and the

fearful condition they are still in and

likely to remain for some time, do the

best we can. It is estimated that at least

half a million dollars will be required to

bridge over the winter, as a majority of the

sufferers lost everything, many even the

clothing on their persons, and others whose

lives were spared will be maimed for life :

as, for instance, the case of a young girl

of sixteen years, who ran a mile and a half

through the fire, and on reaching shelter

was so severely burned that the flesh fell

from her bones and amputation of both

of her lower limbs became necessary.

Many still more distressing cases could

be cited if time permitted. The death list

increases daily and information continues

to arrive of hitherto unreported burnt

territory. In order to realize the magni-

tude of the calamity bear in mind that

upwards of fifty townships, covering an

area of two thousand square miles, have

been wholly or partially burnt over, with

scarcely a green sprig left in the track of

fire. Immense trees were twisted off by

the force of the tornado which prevailed

and the darkness was so great that not

anything could be distinguished at six

inches distance. This accounts for the

great loss of life, as the people were be-

wildered and knew not which way to turn

to escape.