“In the afternoon, this being October 19, the Red Cross opened a large downtown room for the reception of clothing intended for the fire sufferers. Mrs. R. McD. Campau, an active and enthusiastic member of the Red Cross, took charge of the supply depot and plenty of volunteers joined her staff. The afternoon papers announced the arrangement conspicuously and before night supplies began coming in. In a week so much clothing had been received that the supply room was closed and the public requested to send no more.
“In the fire district three relief stations were opened at Metz, Posen and Alpena. The Alpena relief committee, which was extremely active and efficient, had charge of the relief station in that city. A committee of women managed the clothing distribution, while the men’s committee handled other supplies, including hay for live stock. At Posen the railroad company gave the use of its freight house for relief headquarters. At Metz the railroad company placed freight cars upon a siding for relief supplies. The company also gave the services of a number of its capable officers for the work of relief. For example: President Hawks, of the railroad company, not only gave substantially all of his own time, but detailed the General Superintendent of the road, the Chief Engineer, the District Passenger and Freight Agent, and other men of proved ability. The railroad company also facilitated in every possible way the shipment of supplies of all kinds and put into service a daily relief train which transferred supplies as required from one relief station to another, carried the relief workers back and forth, etc.
“As the climate of northern Michigan is severe, and winter was close at hand, the providing of shelter was of immediate urgency. Mr. Waterman, the chief engineer of the railroad, designed a ‘shack’ which could be built quickly and cheaply and the work of housing the homeless, who in the meantime were crowded with almost incredible congestion into the homes of their more fortunate neighbors, began promptly and went forward with the utmost speed. The ‘shack’ consisted of unplaned lumber, long, upright boards forming the walls, rough boards forming the roof and floor, and the entire exterior of the structure covered with tar building paper. Each ‘shack’ was 14 by 16 feet and contained three small rooms. About twenty carpenters were gathered up along the line of the railroad and brought into the relief work. The plan of procedure was for the farmer to receive the lumber, paper, windows, hardware, etc., for a ‘shack’ and haul it to his farm. Then one carpenter would be sent to the place to direct operations and with the farmer and his neighbors helping, the ‘shack’ would be quickly completed. If two or three ‘shacks’ were to be in a group, one carpenter could supervise all at once.
“On October 29, exactly two weeks after the fire, thirty-eight ‘shacks’ were completed and occupied on the sites of burned homes and twenty-four ‘shacks’ going up. It was estimated that about 150 ‘shacks’ would have to be provided by the relief committee and almost as many more for horses and other domestic animals. These ‘shacks’ cost, complete, only $50 each.
“On October 24, Governor Warner announced the appointment of a State Relief Commission. It was composed of seven men, including Mr. Emory W. Clark as a representative of the Red Cross. It also included Mr. J. D. Hawks, president of the Detroit and Mackinac railroad. The Commission met on October 26, and elected Mr. Frank Buel, a prominent lumberman of Bay City, chairman, and Mr. B. M. Wynkoop, manager of the Bay City Times, secretary. The State Commission requested me to meet with it on October 30, and visit the fire district. This I did, and after a day with the members, became satisfied that they were men of affairs and that they had accepted appointment on the Commission for no purpose other than a sincere desire to serve the State. At this meeting it was decided to take over the relief work and put it upon a permanent basis with men in charge who would be paid for their services, but continuing substantially the same methods of administration then in use. As superintendent, the Commission employed Mr. F. E. Merrill, who had had a responsible position in the relief work from the beginning, and who was given leave of absence by the railroad company for the purpose.
“From two sources should come help which will materially lighten the burden of relief.
“First, from insurance. The total insurance upon the property burned was $149,000. Of this amount $95,000 was upon village property and $54,000 on farm property.
“Second, from the sale of lumber and from wages in lumbering operations. The trees which were killed by the fire will produce good lumber if sawed this winter, but if they remain longer they become almost valueless, except for fuel. Thus in order to save their lumber, the farmers must get their burned trees to the mill this winter. That will mean unusual activity in the woods. Those who own timber will realize some income from its sale and those who do not own timber will find employment with those who do.
Hut Constructed of Blankets—Only Shelter of Two Women.