The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-10-19
WISCONSIN FIRES.
LETTER FROM THE BELIEF COMMITTEE

M55eO0Wt6e
II DEAR SIR-In accordance with the in
structiOn received from the association,
your committee OF relief, accompanied bv
s. j. FL. Thompson, Of Milwaukee, with 4
quantity OF supplies, reached Green Bay
late on the evening" of the 18th INST We
found that the relief committee at this
point had discontinued their Iabors for
the day, and that we could not ascer-
tain that night definitely the condition
of the country over which the fire had
swept, but the impression given us was
that all the immediate necessities Of the
destitute people had been supplied. We
were much disappointed in not finding
something for our hands to do i'm
mediately, and, not being quite satisfied
with the re ports given us, it was decided
that DR.. Nichols, who was familiar with
the location of Peshtigo, should imme
diately proceed there and report upon
the necessities of the people. The next
morning Mr. Childs asccrtained from
Captain Hart, of the steamer Northwest,
that the sufferers of the district lying
/ between Ppshtigo and Oc0ntO were reach
ing the latter place i'll deplorabIe CON
dltiJn, and that there was an urgent de-
mand for immediate supplies of food and
clothing at that point. Captain Hart
kindly gave permission for the committee
to ship large quantity OF our supplies
at Cnce by his steamer,and DR.. Thompson
and Mr.. Chllds proceeded at once to
Oconto upon their own responsibility
A portion of the supplies were left al
j Pensaukie, to be sent across the bay to
Little Sturgeon bay, from whence q cry
for aid had just come
Proceeding next to Ocont0, these
: gentlemen found that the story Of suffering
and restitution had not been hall told
They met, however, with hearty co 0p-
Grafton from Mayor Smith and Messrs
Cole, Ellis, Goodrich, and many other
! citizens, who were already doing all in
/ their power to alleviate the suffering.
The ladies, as usual, were Won king nooly,
and had fourteen sewing machines con
4 stanty employed, FURNISHING 200 per day
! with clothing, some with whole, others
, with parts OF suits.
Dr. Nichols on his arrival at Peshtigo
G Harbor, examined as rapidly as possible
: the situation there, thence proceeded to
Peshtlgo Village,seven miles up the river,
aud from there crossed over to Marinette
SIX miles away to the east, on the
t Men0monee river Here the larger
Eportion Of the sick and burned had been
taken.
I At Peshtigo Harbor were considerable
number Of those who had fled from the
! village after the fire. Some were severely
burned, and ali deplorably destitute.
= At PeshtigO village there remained
= only few engaged in searching for and
p buryin0 the dead. At Marinette fifty 0 {
the sufferers were found in the Dunlap
House, which had been converted tenn
e pOrarily into q hospital. Msny were
distributed among the homes Of the citi-
zens These were attentively cared Tor
a by Drs Jones and Brunsch weiler,a assisted
by corps Of volunteer physicians from
different parts of the state, who had come
s up to render some assistance in the
emergency. The Relief Committee 1T
this place was active and efficient and
with the concerted action of ali parties
s everything thing was being done that
: was possible for the comfort and restora-
ton Of the sufferers.
About fifteen per cent, OF those injured
e are so badly burned that it is impossible
!. for them to recover. The others will be
able to return to business iii u months
GIInC, vi less. 1 lie UuIuS OCCuII0u most
o frequently upon the feet, hands and face,
!. and nearly all suffer from the inhalation
of hot sand and cinders, and from the
usual pulmonary complications of burns
% The fire which destroyed Peshtigo oc.
cured on the evening of the 8th inst,
and history has never furnished parallel
# of its terrible destructiveness. Shortly
after the church going people had return
ed from the evening service, an Ominous
= sound was heard, like the distant roar of
the sea, or of a coming storm This in
creased IN intensity, and soon the inhab.
y itants became alarmed and apprehensive
e of coming danger. Balls of fire were
} observed to fall like meteors in different
II parts Of the town, lgniting whatever they
If came in contact with. BY this Sine the
is whole population were thoroughly
e aroused and alarmed, and caught up
IL their children and what valuables they
could hastily seize, and began to flee for q
J. place of safety. Now a bright light APP.
peared in the southwest horizon, gradually
e Increasing till the heavens were aglow
with light. But few moments elapsed
after this before the horrible tornado of
a fire came upon the people, and enveloped
l. them in flame, smoke, burning sand and
: cinders. Those who had not now reached
y the river or some other place of safety were
II suffocated and burned to cinder before
II they could advance half dozen Steps
q farther. God only knows the horror and
terrible suffering of the whole town of
Beshtigo on that memorable Sunday
might. 1t seemed as if the love of God
r had been withdrawn from the place, and
!, the fury fiends of hell had been loosened
g to wantonly vex and torment the PEG.