The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-10-19
PESHTIGO.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE Y. M.
G. A., MILWAUKEE,.

Peshtigo, the loss of life, the dead, and
the condition of the living, we print two
one from the Oconto Lun2be9man Ertr0
Oct. -, the other, the report of the com
mittee Of the Y. Ne. G. A., Milwaukee.
Not because they are the best and most
reliable, for in some respects they are not
equal to the report OF some who were in
the fire and saved themselves by remain
ing all night in the river with their
heads frequently on fire, which was put
out by throwing water on them and
ducking them under water. But partly
because some idea can be got from them
of the fire, and of the dead and living
and partly to express dissent from a por-
ton of the report of the committee.
In June last we We're one Of the Edi-
uorial Convention which made visit to
Peshtigo. We left the steamer at the
landing and went by railroad to the vii.
lage And from what we learned, we
thought the inhabitants of Peshtigo were
temperate, a moral, and religious peo-
IpIc. The Peshtigo Company had about
500 hands in their employment. There
were no Intoxicating liquors kept on the
premises, anG no cigars kept for sale.
Before sitting down to tables in d beau
tiful pine grove, bountlfully spread for
dinner for 200 and over, Rev Mr. Wal
worth, Of the Richland County Sentinel,
when called on t.. ask blessing, pre-
: missed by saying that the church seen on
The way to the grove, the spire Of which
could be seen through the pines, tower
: ing away above the church toward
IS Heaven, told that the Inhabitants Of Pcsh-
S tigo were a moral and religious people,
/ And we think no one OF the convention
q would have dissented from the remarks
/ of chaplain Walwortn
: The committee of the Y. NJ. G. A.. say
6 "God only knows the horror and terrible
: suffering Of the whole town of Peshtigo
4 on that terrible Sunday night. It seemed
}, asi if the love of God had been with
4 drawn from the place and that the fury
@ fends had been loosened to wantonly
E vex and torment the people
e No tongue can tell, no pen can decribe,
l. no brush can depict the realities of that
t night. Exaggeration would be entirely
# impossible. It defies human ingenuity.
h It was the destruction of Sodom re enact
Il ed. It seemed as if the wickedness of
t. the place had Knocked God until his fiery
It thanderbolts were loosened for its destruc.
IS ton. But now, he who had been boldest
# in sin, was the first to call upon his Maker
I, for succor."
The question: (Which has sinned, this
e man or bis parents, that he was born
IS blind?" was asked Divine Teacher
l. eighteen hundred years ago. 1t may
g now as properly be asked: Which have
ls sinDed, the people of Peshtigo or the Y
Il NJ. G. A, that the love Of God should be
Of withdrawn from the place, that his fiery
~ thunderbolts should be loosened for its
d destruction, and that the fury fendf
y should be loosened to wantonly vcx ano
h torment the people?
Il The answer to one question may be
1T the answer to the other. Instead of the
e. wickedness of the people being the cause
r of the fiery destruction Of Peshtigo and
III the death of so many of her people, the
IS cause may be found to be altogether diff
se ferent. And it may be that the living
a have been tried as by fire and have beer
le saved. And it may be that the commit
It tee better feel Inundated that the deat
So were thought worthy to be taken ant
they themselves left.
,e But however unjust, ard cruel, ans
,e wicked the above quoted remarks may
"A be, they are not without their uses on
g. pressed and depressed with the reports o.
in the fearful and appalling fires, and the
N devastation, and desolation, and deaths
r. caused by them, and feeling almost Of
# powerless as the dead, the remarks of thu
a. committee served to increase our sympa
d thy for the living, and to rouse us to re-
| newed action for their relief. And such
ef may be the effect upon others. And il
q. may be that some who have been made
"a widows, or orphans or friendless, by the
10 Peshtigo fire, and feel to lie down with
Is the dead, or are bereft of reason by the