Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-06-08
tFrom tbe,ettowa (U. .c.) CiHzen, May as.h.
The Great Fire in Upper Canada.

[From tbeot.owa (U. c.) cauasn, May ash.
The Great Fire i'm Upper Canada.
gsoe6s Townships barnt oyer-Iaoo Islands entire
Ii S,oept-IHree Hundred and Thirty Famsass
rendered Houseless- Great Suffering.
The Upper Ottowa county has been visited
with terrible calamity. Hundreds of families
are houseless and almost without food, and q
large extent of country presents blackened pic
ture of desolation. On the 18th inst. a confa-
grafton swept tine country from the Deep River
to within short distance of the Bonnechere Riv-
Ter, destroying houses, fences, barns, cattle. pro-
visions, grain, and every description of property
that came in it's way. 1t is miraculous that the
lives of the inhabitants saved, only two per-
persons, it appears, having perished. sde
/ The fire originated from the burning of new
land in different parts Of the country, owing to
the warm sunshine and high wind on Monday,
It suddenly increased and spread with fearful ra-
pidity. During the early part of the day the wind
blew from she southwest, and carried the fire
from the rear of the townships in Upper Canada
Northward toward the settlements on the Otto-
wariyer. At the same time it was making alarm
ng progress in Sheen and Chichester, on the
north of Lower Canada shore, and on the
upper or westerly part of Allumette Island.-
Soon after one O'Clock the wind suddenly came
round to the west and blew with increased yio-
! lence. The fire, which till then was scattered
and spread over considerable extent of country,
through the townships of Pembroke, Stafford, and
Westmeath, which lie in order as named, soon
80 or,d
swept with fearful fury through the interior, pass
ing. over portions of Ross, Bromley, and Horton,
towards, the Bonnechere river. During the
greater part of the afternoon the scene was truly
terrific. On the Allamette Island the destruc-
ton going on, at the same time, was equally
dreadful. The island is fourteen miles long, and
was swept from head to foot. Only two or three
dwellings remain out of about one hundred, thus
leaving seventy-nine families here alone house,
less. The Calumet Island also suffered severely.
The country burnt over extends in Upper Can
ada, from the upper part of Pembroke and Stat
ford to near the Bonnechere river, in Horton and
| Adamston, the distance in that direction being
nearly thirty miles, and from the best informa-
ton it appears that it would average some twelve
miles, width. The townships which suffer here
are Pembroke, Stafford, Westmeath, Bromley,
Ross, and Horton, and about two hundred families
are in them left houseless; in fact, totally "burn-
ed out.''
The Allumette island is about fourteen by five
miles in extent, with nnety-seyen families, in Q
similar condition. The country on the north
shore being settled only a short distance bach
from the river, contains proportionaly fewer set
tiers; and there the number of sufferers may be
put at about thirty families. This would make
altogether something near three hundred ant
hirty families sufferers by this calamity. II
some instances the individual loss exceed ont
one Thousand pounds. The rear of country burn
ed over is about four hundred and fifty square
miles, total.
u To provide seed for the ground and food fo
computation, seven thousand pounds Less thai
that sum will not do it. One-fourth of thi
amount may perhaps be raised in this part of Can
ada, but where is the remainder-over four thou
sand pounds-to come from! We look to tn
Legislature for this assistance. For every GOO
cessity of the case-the importance of the de
E mand-the awful nature of the calamity-an
withal the immense annual revenue derived from
this section of Canada, should be grounds suffi
3 cient to warrant the appropriation required. LIE
the Legislature speedily appropriate five thou
sand pounds at least to meet immediate and abso
lutte necessities.