Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1866-07-31
A Night Of Fire.
RI ON the Portland Transcript, ]


night of fire. We have seen many
confagrations, but none which ap.
preached this in the appalling rap
idity and fury Of the flames. 1t
gave one & new CONCEPTION Of the
destructive power Of the devouring
element, and justified its claim to be
the Heaven appointed world des-
troyer. The fire advanced with a
roar, like that Of some Infatuated
monster, sending before it, as the
fiery breath Of its nostrils, a tenn
pest Of redhot cinders, each one an
incendiary and messenger &c des.
truction. Every flying fragment OF
fire seemed animated with fendish
spirit Of devastation. Whatever it
lit upon was Immediately in blaze,
ond tie James cldng to the burning
object with Q pertinacity which even
water could scarcely quench. Mean
time the great body of the flames
advances with steady and irresisti-
bic sweep, marching on like con
auering army, deploying it's columns
right and left, and levellng all before
1T. From the very firstit was not
one instant held in check indeed, so
far 81 cur observation extended, it
was fought rather III the rear than
in advance. 1t stayed not in its des
olatirg track until it died out for
want Of material in the open space
about Munioy. At various points
along its borders, by the great exer.
lions offrcmon and property own
ers, It was prevented from spreading
in some directions, but its steady
advance in tho direction Of tho wind
was uncontrolled. The city lay, as
it were, writing beneath the folds
Of this iery dragon W hch reared its
famine head high in the air, and
sent up baletul glow visible to
wondering gazers sixty or seventy
miles away. People read small print
by its light ten miles distant.
Meantime the scene in the streets
amid these advancing flames end
falling cinders was one Of extraor.
binary interest. With all the hurry
and excitement there was little APP
parent confusion. Men and women
went about the work Of saving their
properly, and citizens aided or look
ed on, few realizing the extent of the
danger. None dreamed of the APP
palling result the conAarration was
yet to work out. go
The streets were filled with teams
busy in removing goods and furni-
ture. For the services of some of
these, most eXtorton9te prices were
de,1anded and paid. While some
were hurriedly removing their fuf-
niture, others refused to disturb an
article in their house, and they far
cd little worse than those who la
bored hard to save their property.
Much was stolen, much set Oh fire
and burned by falling cinders, and
much carried away to unknown To-
caEties and lost, In the hurry of
removal many loads fell from the
teams, and the crash of crockery
and glass mingled with the roar of
the flames, the cries of transfers,
eld the screaming Of frightened hor-
nes. ii the vicinity Of Gorham's
Corner, where there was 9 dense
Irish population, it was pitifdl to see
the little heaps Of furniture guarded
by women ard children. One ex-
tremely old woman, shaking with
tho palsy, of age, cl ny frantically
TO an infant, at the risk of smother
ing it, refusing to let any one take it,
because, as she said 1T was her bows
pEbT and the only grandchild she
ever had. In Cross street we saw
q huge hog, almost as big as the
hippopotamus exhibited at the circus.
laying painting against tho aide of
building, whore it had apparently
fallen through fear and exhaustion.
As the flames approached the
thQ sly settled portion Of the city
between Exchange and India streets,
che nCusatops were covered with
men endevoring to extinguish the
binders, while women worked noblv
n removing goods. Many could not
believe th.t their houses must GO
and delayed the removal Of their
goods until too late.
Then came the blowing up of bull
dings the fall. ag Of church steoples,
the rd44' Of he great body of flames
sent up BY such immense buildings
as Woods Hotel and the CITY Hall.
The march Of the are was now ac-
celebrated. Widening its track, it
swept onward with red0ubled speed,
Gathering new enc. 81 with its pro
sress it now swooped down upon
whole streets were it had before at
tackled only single houses. Itlcaped
from avenue to erenuc. 1t ,aade
haste to accomplish its work. The
who's lower part of the city, CONS
posed chiefly Of wooden buildings,
wos swept away in an incredible
short space 4. time, leaving only a
waste OF chi1neys and scorchod and
pIachencd shade trees behind.
or course in 50 large population
all the ordinary events Vero trans
Piring II the time O re fire In
iants were coming INTO the world
and the aged were going out OF it.
Tn several Instances women lying on
their beds il the pains of labor were
borne ..saE on meas shoulders from
their burning A6mes The sick. and
those lying at the point of death
were taken from blazing houses. In
H..