Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1859-02-05
WHOLE NUMBER 476.

When Hertha descended the steps from
the lobby into the court, bearing her faith,
er in her arms, the people hurrahed and
waved their hats. Then, aud not till then,
her liuibs failed her she sank down upon
her knees, but did not loose bold Of the
burden which she bore Faithful as moth
cr who holds her child clasped to her breast,
held she her father with her 6yes fixed on
ly on aS!saH. He appeared almost macon
scious She drew a deep aadstrong breath.
we are saved, father whispered she,
breathe, breathe, my fatherl'
People crowded round them, ond convey
ed them from the immediate neighborhood
of the flames to the spot where the rest Of
the family were assembled. The old man,
by degrees, regained the use of bis senses;
but the violent shock which bis nerves had
sustained caused tremor Of the whole bo-
dy, and when, not without emotion, he
pressed all his children TO his heart, lie sat
gazing immoyably, aud without uttering
word, at his consuming property.
Hertha, having drunk a glass Of waters
appeared perfectly restored, and Immediate;
| y busted herself in preparing hand-barrows
and bearers and, having made beds With
mattresses aud coverlets, on which to lay
her father aud Alma, bad them conveyed
from the scene Of conAagration. She and
the others, old Anna among the rest~-who
had gone to sleep that night by the kitchen
FIRE, instead of her own room, adjoining the
chamber of her master, whence it happen-
ed that she was not within his call-now
all left the court The fire had already
caught several houses in the neirAbofhnod,
| a. No.. IL 4
violence which deied every attempt to ex-
tiuguish it. The inhabitants Aed from all
the houses in the neighbcrhood Of this
growing destruction; they tbrewlfcom the
windows, bedding, mirrors, earthenware, in
the widest confusion. The fire, the terror
the throng, and the tumult increased every
moment
Hertha, who observed, by the Direction
in which the flames were driven by the
wind that the Gre would probably extend
to the northern portion Of the town, which
consisted in great measure of wooden houss
es, immediately turned her steps, with those
of her family, in the opposite direction, a.
cross a bridge which spanned the river Klars
to meadow, planted with trees, outside
the town, where the inhabitants amused
themselves in the Summer, and which was
called the Kings Gcld. Many Of those
|, who were already homeless, or who feared
! to become SO, followedhe example, ABd
they who did sO did we'll - Because they
: who removed with their rescued property
, to houses or to situations near to the fire,
: had second time to leave their places of
5 refuge for others more remote from the in-
, creaSing confagration. The wind unfortu-
nately rose, and blew violently, SO that the
flames were driven onward, in still more
terrible career from house to house, from
lane to lane The wooden dwellings, were
} consumed like tinder. $500 ,
And now again was exhibited, both al
regarded the extinguishing of the Ere and
the work Of removing and saving the in-.
habtants of the burning houses, the method
! which on SO many similar occasions has dis.
/. tinguished the temperament and habit OF
the Swedes, and which we have already
! spoken of and designated as the handoV-
er-hand-method,' but which in this particu-i
lar case was governed by no kind of intsrs
2 nal harmony. The superior authorities Of
the town, the Sheriff Of the district, aud
the Burgomaster, could net agree as to the
mode by which the fire should be extin.
: guished. The fire-engines were found eth
: er not to be at hand or else they were out
/ of order; many of the hose were utterly
useless; water was called for, but none
came; many commanded, but none obeyed; !;
] and perhaps could not obey because the
/, commands were issued in the most bewilds
t ering confusion, hither and thither, now this
! and now that. Beside which, a great nuns
: Der of persons became, in the terror of that
, awful fire, perfectly confused in their under
5 standing. One tall, strong man was seen
J busily occupied in saving a dolps chest OF
! drawers, another hurried along the streets
t with an empty drinking-gass in his hand, a
: third wheeled out of the town four buDdies
Of fire-wood in a wheelbarrow; one old La
: dy rushed ont of her house with her bunch
of keyes in her hand, aud yonng lady,
, too hurried to attire herself, carried bali
t dress on her arm.
Many worthless people availed themselves
e of the horror and confusion Of tine time to-
e plunder. And none were found TO guard
l against this mischief. Many good citizens
e who did not lose their presence of mind,
/ made unheard-ofelfort TO extingGish the
fire and save both life and property from
its destruction; but these were either each,
G one for himself or they were in detached
. groups, 50 that system and cooperation
were wanting altogether, ~ II .no5s a
In the meantime the FIRE advaIced Ia It's
It destructive career with the increased wind.
l. Before morning had dawhed, every oae Of
the lanes opening into the street in which
n stood tho house of the Falks, as far as the
.e large MARKET was heap Of smohldering
d ashes, and soon after; the market itself was
Il bnrnng at every corner. The new Assem-
= bly,. House, with its splendid ballroom,
where the great fancy bali was to take place,
: the anticipation of which had made 50 ma
d ny Young heart to beat with joyful hope,
: took FIRE, aud the flames danced as If with
: Joy through the spaciohs apartment de-
T voarng all the new silken cur tai6s aud furs
5 nitnre, melting the splendid Chandelier, and
g turning to ashes all the gliding and the
ether grandeur An hour afterward. and
: the great house opposite was also burning
d that very house where, the evening be-