The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-08-26

-m wrapt IN cloud OF steam from nv We
clothes The thermometer stands at $50 degs
II uo~ y6 minutes to l O'clock The air il
-u1nc4fI gF hot; l am drerched il perspiration
! % aoft 4H I can.
"f5 m 10 oc Them. $50 degs. Is m
1859 l.g- 10 IN. l58 degs. This Is horrible
/ .-f -e, ine mercury mounting in the tube
Toe ma.sI-le from NV clothes has all exhaled
Ite5 .s- rae as irv as tinder, and hot and hare
.. tfe fons.
inmates past J o'clock Thermometer 10
de.- H4sc taken off both my coats and lai-
them orer t1e hoie-the rush OF air from il
sgtat,d tl- nor atmosphere, and made it intol-
eran.e.
- m past j o'c Therm. III degs. NJ
atcl burning hot. Have taken it out OF nv fob
TIE pencil case begins 70 feel hot in nv fingers
strange to -ay, my body Is still cool. -'i
tneoss about the radiation of heat must be er
rOueogs
d" M. past o'c Therm. / % degs IL m
pa-t Therm. 300 degs Have laid of every
tnial 5u' nay boots could rot bear the touch
oi anything Breathe cooler 90 exhalation than
on inhalation
Thermometer 2l0 Watch stopped, owing
TO expansion Of metsl Flame overhead decreas
ing Light falling Can see part Of the copper
changing % d dull red. Water would boil now
where hold the pencil in nv fingers. But Tor
the rubbish, my clothes on which stand would
take fire. have taken of my boots the
meta heels have left their mark singed in the
cloth
" - degs am to be roasted alive. Ny
n- wishes are with - and the dear ones
Or, lny God, have mercy on ne and support her,
$ sU suffer greater pain than any other man
tat 'halati-. A dead OK would be baked IT
hu. where | now stand.
rs dcgs. The soes Of INV feet are blister
r- One spot OF the copper i quite red hot.
Ny s.tls are turning 10 sweat. Gracious God
aow long is this 20 iasts | must shrvel soon
nov GOD grant that | NAV die before tie hot
'aet. touches me, Oh, my dearest --l
''2s2 degs Whoever finds this, take it TO
Ar --, Of -- St and leave all to his dis
erection. The thermometer burns nv hand-I
has, dropped it, and it IS broken The heat in
crra-cs The smell of the metal is suffocating
must soon stop
The hgAJ has increased very much | can
hold .he tablets but d little longer. Ny vitsls
"e au ing up The perspiration coming slow
'g. arm hlistefins all over Good God what
have [ don. erass1 Have mercy on ny
-oui Tor Chri-.'s sake-0 God have mercy on my
ssu.. die, iorgvng all my enemies"
N i,h aiiu9s, the last effort | was capable Of
u4kir. / put the tablets with a heavy piece of
m1rtar, bet fer the mortar ! woIld have been
buluel 90 the knees where | stood, into the end
oi uiy handkerchief. and flung it with all my
force eul OF the mouth OF ms fiery prison The
a5on. ! endured Ia moving my naked arm so
rapi 'iy through the hot air was almost insupport-
abb, IL was Ike stirring boiling water with it
50 gsaa; WAS the pain that had almost tainted ;
auu, when felt the sickness and giddiness that
proceeds q -w0oa, ! vas almost grateful for it,
as / knew that, if | fell On the metal below me-
would ia al probability, be deprived of life dur
ing my iuscnsibity. But the symptoms of faint
ing leit me-a prey TO only more acute feelings
OF bodily agony. | stood with blisters rising on
my shoulders ard the process of decomposition
by FIRE actually beginning on the skin Of my legs
The whole fluids OF my body had been drained
in secreting perspratiou, and in supplying my
lungs with the moisture necessary TO enable them
TO preserve the temperature OF the system. 1t
is my firm belief that, had fluids remained in
my body sufficient % supply the necessary serum
l would have been one blister from head to foot
Excruciating is a weak word 10 express INV ag-
ony.
In this state my ewes fen on the veins of nv
arm where they appeared dstended with their
sluggish current in the red light The fame
drew back, and ieft me for moment in darkness
darkness made visible by the lurid glare of the
copper, which, round the surface of the stop
cock, now shOne with a red heat strong enough
to make the outlines of my horrid prison dis
cerulble 4 dark thought crossed nv mind-a
thought engendered by the devil, but hardly in a
bell more fi-htful The heavy rolling flame
sSung back again on the burdened night wind.
and tnrew a fickering glare on the sing
I'd mass Of clothes on which | stood | drag
gei up the trowsers, and thrust a desperate haud
INTO the pOcket-the stuff OF which it was made
was smoking with the heat of the loose silver it
contained but it was not money | was in search
oft was Il knife / half clasped tit burned
the finger and thumb of my right hand as If /
had closed them on 4 coal OF fire. ] flung the
instrument of self destruction from me- and
cried aloud 20 God neUer L. leave me igt tenDta-
ton.
sid not cry in vain: there were voices above
me- heard them distinctly; heard foot
steps on she platform they were gone no they
were returniug-they were coming to nv rescue.
Good God how shall describe the awful sense
Of a present Providence-the almost overpower-
ing hope--the asOnizing doubts; and then the
i0y the gratitude the delerious ecstscy which |
experienced within the next half minute, as, in
the pause of the flames roaring, for il still pour.
voices of my deliverers sounded louder OF faint
er. or ike imaginary sounds, or voices of real
beings, until at length taat ladder, which was to
nae Tie welcomest sight that ever the sun shone
on, Wis lowered down by hurried and tremuIous
hands. amid the shudders of those who never
expected 10 see more Of the poor sufferer below
than a heap Of steaming, bloodstained cinders :
or ho~ shall / attempt TO describe the astOnish-
mont -ba rffv tha honest DlsQSure of tboca no
iieyoicnt men, when they found that, although
speeches. for in all my iauces was not as much
mostre as would have enabled me 10 swallow
the smallest crumb Of bread, and my tongue lay
in my mouth little better than piece of DRY
sponge, | was nevertheless able to climb up ont
oi that toriid atmosphere iat0 which no fireman
would venture TO descend? I cannot DO either,
aud will not much longer dwell on this part
Of the nights adventure; suffice it to say, my
last missive had fortunately reached its destna
ton, and brought my delverers to my assist
aace. They carried NE in blankets to the hos
pila.; here | received all the aid that medical
service could bestow, until sufficiently recovered
70 be transported TO my own lodgings, where
remained suffering from the effects of degree
OF neat such as, perhaps, no other human be
ing ever endured and lived, for SIX weeks ant
upwards.
sm quite satisfied that had the thermometer
no, been broken, and had possessed any mean:
o; suspending it, for l could not have held i
in my hand mlca longer. il would have showl
a temperature much higher than in the expert
ments Of either Biagien or Bankes. am sur,
iew minutes longer would have been certain
death, 50 that may safely say have endureC
the highest temperature of ahy man on record
rars. 4rrrrn On