The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-18
An ESCAPE FROM FIRE.

Adventure Of Job Bilodeau in the Great 81.
guenay Fire in Canada-He is Almost
Boiled Alive in Fountain BASIN Thrilling
Description Of scenes During the Fire.
= The Cunadien publishes letter, In which the fol-
lowing recital appears of the ventures OF sufferer
by this terrible catastrophe. JOB Bodeau relates
his experience thus:-
We were preparing 10 sit down to dinner-lny old
father, my wife, my children and myse +. / then
perceived a thick smoke rising from the Pointe
Beue side, and soon after became certain that u
considerable connagration, rendered more active by
q tempestuOuS Wlnd had already envelOped the par
ish Of R0berval. We fastened to get OUT our house
hold furniture and to throw some linen and CLOTHES
INTO q cellar; but in few minutes the fire caught
my house. entered to save a little clock, but
was obliged to brelk out u window IN ord TO Qee
out. Thus attacked by the fire cast niys into Inc
damp dung of my pigs, which SAW roasting near
me. AT the end OF some lime was surrounded by
the fire nom all SIDES was su1ocated by tic smoke
and for moment lost nj consciousness. The danes
which caught me restored to The desire for self
preservation. IL jet OF flame prevent,d me from
getting into the cellar, where had few minutes
before deposited some cilects. then went 10 The
side of my barn, where there is fountain. In
order that j might not snnocate threw myself
several times on the ground. AT last reached
the fountain and threw myself in head first. But
] was far ron being out OF danger. MY barn,
hair filed with unthieshed grain and straw, took
fire, and found myself at two perches to eewarl
Of this furnace: the danes swept the place wnere |
was; the woo,ien frame OF the fountain TOOK fire;
pulled oil splinter aud with 1t thrust away the
sparks that leil on my head. while rom time TO
eiHO N"ticJ uh'Ni Wdlc. Az liic VI ~
couple OF hours the flames abated and was able TO
sit on q cross piece Of hall burned WOOL was
seized with trembling, and | seemed as If about TO
die. However, ut the end OF half an hour was able
to walk on The ashes around me, and reoined my
wife and the children whom | found by the side OF
the cellar where we hal placed our goods aud where
they had taken Sietcr Ny father, one ol The child
rcn and one Of my SisterSnlaW had disappeared we
knew not wnere. Night approached and we set
out lor Roberva, hoping there 10 ind shelter, but
all the houses were burned. We found there forty
Two persons, among thc rest wonlan who mad
been brought TO bed only iour days before, AMI two
who were near Their time. We slowed ourselves
Tor the night III the nearest cellar We could flnd;
most OF us were obliged 10 remain standing Tor
want OF space aud TO hold the children IN onr arms.
Next day we set out rom This den to try TO find our
wandering trends and relations. About nom met
my Iatiler holding my smallest child by the maud.
About eight the evening before he had reached lie
bank OF small lake, to which he had been attracted
raft, on whoa lie placed the child, which he
covered with his trous rs in the first place 10 pro-
tect IL IRON the lire, ana afterwards from the cold,
winch tDat night was intense. My slstef-n-law ~
iniirm and unable 70 walk. She dragged herself 10
the loot Cl q rOck Where she found tWenty.f0ur
other persons who, Ike herself were saved mracu-
lousy the fire having completely destroyed the
wood ON the top. We brought them ia on a lliler,
ana about noon We found the burned bones OF my
neghbor, Oslo Forth, and OF his son. We were Tor
tunate enough 10 find a sack OF n0ur when had
been able to put nthe field at the beginning Of the
fire. u was then noon, ana none OF the persons,
more than SHY III number, assembled on the ases
OF Tue chapel near my residence, had caien lor
tWenty.lour hours. without that PROVISION Oh Prove
dence The weak persons ana children womb nave
dlsI u eAlaUslIun beiore thea Grplu Qpalu sulSVr