Show PITIFUL 1 PLIGHT OF FIRE VICTIMS I IF I F Governor of Michigan Issues an Appeal to People of the Wolverine State SITUATION IS IMPROVING WORST FEATURE IS EXPOSURE OF REFUGEES TO ELEMENTS Detroit DetroU Oct IS Reports from the forest fire district of or northern Michigan wore were re fragmentary today toda but there were indications of ot improvement as to condi conditions conditions conditions regarding life and property The victims who survived the destruction of their homes and villages are in a pitiful Plight II bt with the likelihood of f greater dis distress distress tress and many deaths from exposure in inthe Inthe Inthe the event of a sudden drop of ot tempera temperature temperature temperature ture railing falling upon the scantily clothed ref refugees refugees refugees camped in the box boot cars and the open fields Relief Plans Governor Fred Warner today issued an appeal to the people of Michigan for lor con contributions and Mayor William B Thomp Thompson son df Detroit has haa called a special meeting of the common council for tomorrow to consider the matter of or contributing relief Bishop Charles D Williams of the Epis Episcopal copal eopal dIocese dlo t se of or Michigan who has bas just justn returned n from the fire district will win be asked to describe conditions as he wit witnessed witnessed witnessed them The Detroit board of com commerce commerce merce had a meeting at the Detroit club tonight to arrange the tiro details of or shipping a s preliminary carload of or provisions and bedding beading north tomorrow and Governor Warner has bas directed Adjutant General Gt of the state troops to take the th initiative in similar measures at Grand Rapids The Th Detroit Mackinac railroad rail railroad railroad road has bas already alread sent a dozen carloads of or provisions lumber and d hay into the burned district from Bay BaT City Cit President J 1 D Hawks of ot the Detroit Mackinac railroad received word today toda that forest I fires were seriously threatening the town of Ossineke south of Alpena on Thunder bay ba Mr Hawks said that he had bad re rev received no reports from Alpena Aipena or Rogers Ro ers City and he was confident he would have hao heard beard something if It the th situation at those points ha bay baJ J not improved Communication by Wire The Western Union Telegraph company had uninterrupted communication with I I Alpena today and aud was able to do business twice with TUh Onawa on the far side of the I I burned district The Western Wester Union also was able to establish communication with I I Posen Po n in the lire fire re district this afternoon Long distance telephone communication Is good bood as far north as East Tawas Quartermaster emASter General W J 1 Rogers Ro of the state troops who was sent Into the burned district to Investigate conditions telegraphed Governor Warner Varner today that th t there was no need of ot troops as the fire situation was improved temporarily at I least The immediate need General Rog ers reported was for bedding and food for the refugees and fodder for horses and cattle Governor Warner Varner has hu already di directed directed directed the sending of or several hundred blankets into the burned district and all the blankets on hand in the armory armor of the state troops at Alpena have baTe been forward forwarded ed there Following Is the governors go rs ap I peal to the people of Michigan for con eon contributions contributions I Governors Appeal To the People of Michigan The destructive forest fires fins which have hae ranged ra over oer the north part of or the state this week and which have ba caused such fearful loss of or life and property have baTe ren rea dered 1 of our people homeless and dependent I upon Immediate public charity The prompt relief furnished by the of of the Detroit b Mackinac Railroad company and others is most commendable but the loss Joss and suffering are so to great and the need for lor further lurther assistance Is so crying that there thee should ho be prompt action on the per part of or the public The rhe men women and d children who have haTe narrowly escaped death are shelter i less and destitute Food clothing bed ding dine furniture money and building ma materials tennis and aad forage for tor animals should be donated at once so that the sufferings of these thes people e should be lessened and that th t none DODe may perish from hunger and expo exposure exposure sure Urged to Be Liberal LiberalI I 7 therefore urge you the charitable people a of ot this OtIs great gnat state so bountifully Messed blessed with comfort and wealth to Immediate im immediately mediately mediate come to the relief of or these th stricken people Alpena will be the tle dis dU point All AU donations may be best i seat st in care of or J D Hawks president of I the Detroit g Mackinac railroad who Is giving his personal attention to the re net lief of at the sufferers I am already as assured assured that the Detroit Mackinac the Michigan an Central and the be Pere Marquette arquette railroads will transport everything tree free of f charge and undoubtedly all the tle other railroads whose officials I have hate not yet been able to see sea will wn do likewise I Signed TIED FRED M WARNER WAR R Governor I |