The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-10-13
PURSUED BY FIRE.
A RACE FOR LIFE.

terrible and destructive conhagr ations on
record. For several days the flames ragged
| and roared, sweeping over vast sections of
land and consuming houses, cattle, and
all kinds of property in their irresistible
course. A correspondent who travelled
through the burned region few days
after the fires ceased, gives a heart-rend-
ing account of the desoIation visible on
every side. The flames spread and sped
with such fearful rapiGity that many
families barely escaped with their lives.
We quote an account of how a brave
woman saved herself and several others
Driving on We were soon almost overs
powered by the stencil from the carcasses
of cattle which had perished in the flames,
their white bones standing out in bold re-
lief against the blackened ground. Little
mounds by The roadside marked where
other carcasses had been buried. And
now we come to another scene Of des-
olation, where there had been, but a
few days before, comfortable and happy
home. Leaving the road we drove into n
field toward two white tents, few hun
dred yards distant On our right were
the cellar walls on which snug farm
house had stood and the remains of a
neat little garden, where flowers had
bloomed and fruit trees blossomed and
borne fruit: We halted near The smaller
of the two tents, and out of the larger one
came the farmers wife, nice look ing
woman with pleasant voice, and with
rosy little four year old girl clinging 10
L. Il 4 Il, l..
tell. The night of the 17lh ult. the house,
barn, outbuidiDgs, and wood-pile were
fired, as it seemed simultaneously, and in
many places From the house few ar
tices Of clothing and two feather beds,
and from the barn road wagon and horse
were saved, and that was all. The barn
contained two years crop of hay and
grain, the last load of grain having been
hauled in that evening and left upon the
cart. Ninety cords of wood ready for
market were consumed. OF eight cows
two were burned to death, and four SO
badly injured that they must be allowed
to 90 dry, leaving but two to furnish milk
for the family. Nineteen sheep persisted
together, and were found in a dreadful
heap the next morning. Two porkers
shared similar fate. The money vaIuo
of marketable produce alone destroyed
here exceeds 81 900. The scene was de-
scribed as terrible one. Fire rained
down from overhead, and forked tongues
shot hither and thither. The stumps in
the fields were all ablaze and the ground
strewn with burning fragments. "We
knew not what TO do or which way to
turn" said the poor woman.
Finally, she harnessed the horse to the
wagon, (Which had but single seat) and
placing in it her uncle and aunt, an aged
couple, three of her own children, and the
few clothes and beds saved from the house,
she started to seek the shelter of her moth
er's house, a mile or more away. She
had not gone far before five more children
were added to her load, and 10 make
room for them this brave woman stood
upon the step at the side of the wagon and
drove the horse down the valley, with the
! fire racing and roaring on either side, and
sometimes close upon her. Indeed, the
| cotton dress she wore was burned off her,
as we'll as the hair from her head. The
| clothes and bedding in The wagon took
! fire and had to be thrown out. Then, as
| the fires closed in ard the smoke grew
! denser. death came TO the old man, as
! told in a former letter. Twice be fell
! into the road and was lifted into the
wagon again, bat the third time he was
unavoidably left 10 his fate. Not dozen
rods from where the old man perished the
wagon was halted by the roadside. To
90 further was impossible. To remain
seemed like tempting death; but still there
was no hope. The children and the old
woman were placed under the wagon, and
an attempt was made to shut out the
flames by hanging up sheets and blankets.
! The horse, which was one the farmer 8
wife had been in the habit of driving,
seemed to understand the situation, and
stood perfectly still, though the fire burned
the hair from his body, and the roaring of
the wind and the flames was enough to
strike terror into the heart of the boldest
| The faithful animal turned his head now
and then, as though to see if the party
were safe. but never moved an inch
Had he ran, or even gone few yards
farther on, nine lives more would have
been added to tho deaih>roll. The chill
dren escaped with but slight injuries from
the fact that they were dressed in woolen
clothing. They suffered neither moan
nor cry," save that the youngest, four
year old girl, would sometimes say, as the
sparks fell upon her, 81 am burning up
The old lady was badly burned from hav-
ing on a cotton dress, and her recovery is
considered doubtful. The party remained
some six hours in this painful position,
when, daylight appearing, and the fire
having somewhat subsidized, they were en-
nbled to reach place of shelter. 1t wa;
learned later that the mothers house haC
been burned before the daughter left hel
own house.
Having told US her story. which have
briefly jptted down, the farmers wifi
sEIN.NDSf no, Ill e.ok 1.,t ,.I b,u.