Death of Annie [McCrea] McLean.
ALPENA'S BIG FIRE.
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THIRTEEN BLOCKS SWEPT AWAY
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And $300,000 Worth of Property Destroyed.
July 12th, 1872, the business portion of the city of Alpena was swept by fire and a loss of $75,000 was incurred. On the sixteenth anniversary of that event, lacking one day, occurred the disastrous fire of last week which swept away all that was combustible in the course of the fire between Morse's mill and the river. Thirteen blocks were completely burned over, and a total loss, as near as can be estimated, of $300,000 was suffered. The fire started in the sawdust pile at Morse's mill and under the influence of a northeast gale it spread like wild fire throughout the frame buildings which a long continued drought had rendered as dry as a tinder-box. It was a populous district, being the home of a large part of the laboring population of Alpena. So rapidly did the fire spread that the inhabitants had barely time to escape, and all efforts to save household goods were futile, so that the three hundred families whose homes were destroyed, were left absolutely destitute. Mayor Klock and the more fortunate citizens of Alpena did gallant service in caring for the homeless people, and steps were at once taken to provide shelter and relieve their temporal wants. At a citizens' meeting held the next day, $5,222 was subscribed, Geo. L. Maltz heading the list with $1,000.
There was one fatality, that of Mrs. Annie McLean, of Buffalo, a widowed lady who was visiting her sister, Mrs. Jno. Kestau. She was so badly burned that she died at midnight at the hospital.