New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-10-26
THE FOREST FIRES.
THE STORY OF PEsHTEGo.

PrsurEGo, Oct. 20.-This letter, to give IL u
local habltatiOn and name, is dated where PesntSC
m Tire glory Of this Indian Summer afternoon looA
on the gnastlicst clearing that ever lay beiore me-.
eyes The sandy Arcets GlSten with frentln 49,,
mesa ard caCined fragments are all thar Ieln r,I
posing edihces and hundreds OF Peaceiul n no tth
Sminous clearing is In the center OF ,S lift
sr.d forest Of oak pine and tarnaracR win s"ilS
r,var-the Pesbteso-elidng silently through Ine 0ou
from northeast to southw el'uA,ee y A.. to1vn
trsrn the Green Bay the Peshteeo N'eiI WV
commanded ali the lumber trade OF tne nOiH
'-'. .-onIo.rIa and grew rapidly into import
-. :. t,ort,er mart Of Chicago buI' w
A. .nt.rnr,s,ng but lately sngularly unfortunate Cn
.aro suderer william B. Ogden, tho Town nH HHu Wv
ons mrnose TO make money for Its founuer anu P uP
thalrmher interests. But one industry Ofeeus Sny'
81 N t,me railroad running seven miles 70 inc Day
.ctsd the little city with the great chaln OF IsKeS
60 tornder,es and rose on the banks OF
tAa liver and busy mill stood IN eeaseIeeS
a nnter OF the town The banks OF the PesnteGo tcem
WITH rich and various growth OF umDer ana trsoe OF
a.rastood alvays prospective to her busy people
oot Northern Pacific Railroad was to be tapped BY
- sven now building to the place where Pesh
-. ga and every hamlet and town in northern Wis
sondp envied and admired the wonderful little city.
Tbe keen eye Of trade and speculation was not de-
erIved; population hocked in amain. and fully 1000
peOple had established permanent homes The site was
1d chosen for beauty a. we'll business the river at
Ms point runs through slight bluf, which breaks into
fat before the stream escapes from tho borders OF
the town. The excellent water-power, as well Is the
lumber interest had determined the spot, and q mill
vas one Of the frat establishments In operation when tho
walls Of the village began to rise Below the mill the
ground on either bank sloped gently into low pebby
Eats which Joined the waters edge few rods from the
center Of the town. The business and residence streets
we're wide and well laid out, the houses pretty built and
carefully painted aud little ornamental gardens were
frequent
Tie river cut the town pretty fairly In twain, the
works and shops OF the Peshteyo Company covering
most of the northeastern shore while trade and business
fer the main part held themselves on the south western
ARpHA The ate was and IL to this day, unmistakSbya
eearng. solid wall Of pine, oak, and tamsrack hedge
IN the desoate waste now. As 1t Stood the pretty
bnsng village combined the orderly enterprise OF New
England the irrepressbo vigor Of the typical west
ern ety" Roads cut through the forest communicated
with long line Of prOsporing numbering hsmlets and
thriving FARMS to the west and south Tie surrounding
woods interpreted with nnumerabe open gades,
Of crisp brown berbage and dried furze which Lad for
weeks gowed with the Autumn fires that nfest these
regions Little heed was paid them, for the first rain
would inevitably quench the flames But the rain
came and finally valiant battle waged far and
against the slowly increasing fires In this as In other
towns the danger was thought Iwen warded Of by
the general precautions The fire had ragged up to the
very outskirts Of the weeks before that faalSun
day and the fires outward to fight the enemy Every
thing inAammable had apparently been taken out Of
harms way on that memorable Sunday. One careful
citizen raversed the western outskrt and assured his
peopae that danger could come from that quarter
The FIERY HURRICANE.
Tho sharp air Of early October had sent the people in
from the evening church services promptly than
usual although delayed to speculate on great
noise aud ado which set in omnously from the west
looked trembngy at the fires and lights
within and The took last look at the possibilities
without; for many it truly last glimpse The noise
grew in volume, and nearer and nearer with ter
RIO cracking and detonaons. The forest rocked ana
tsssed tunultuOusy dire alarm fell upon the imprs-
Oped village, for the swirllng blasts came now from
every side In one awful instant before expectation
eo1d give shape the horror great fame shot up in
the western heavens and in countless fiery tongues
struck downward into the village, piercing every object
that stood in the town like red-hot bolt deaienIng
roar mingled with blasts Of electric fame filed the air
and paralyzed every soul in the place There was no
beginning 10 the work Of ruin; the flaming Whirl'
wind swired in instant through the to"n'
there IL DO diversity in general experience; all hearu
the first nexplicabe roar some aver that the eartn
shook while a credulOus few avOw that the heavens
opened and the fire rained down from above Moved
by common instinct for all knew that the woods that
epcjrced the town impenetrabe, every hsbitaon
was deserted to the flames, and the gaspng mnutuoe
Rocked 10 the On the west the mad horde saw tue
bridge in flames in O Of places and, turning
sharply 10 the left with accord plunged into the
tween the rolling boo1ns swayed to and fro by tho cur
rent where they roasted the hot breath OF name that
hsyered above them and snged the mar on eacn heau
nsmentary exposed above the water Here despalrinR
men and women held their children till the colo water
came as an ally TO the flames, and deprived them OF
strength.
meantime the eastern bank was densely crowded by
the diving and the dead Rushing TO the river from this
Aeetion the swirng blasts met the victims full in the
face and moved swath through the fleeing throng In,
haaton was annihistOn Scores fell before the nrst
blast few we're able to crawl TO the pebby fats hut
40 deaduy dshgured that death must have been pref
enable All could not reach the river the groups
that fell prone Oh the grateful damp fats suffered e1cru
Chatting agony The fierce blaze playing in tremendous
counter currents above them on the higher GROUND was
sufficiently strong to set the clothes shane' ana tne ny
ing sand heated as by furnace blistered the nesh
w6erever IL fell All that could break through the
sitting simeon had to the river. In the red glare
they could the sopng bank covered with the bods
Of those that fell by the Few living on the BACK
streets succeeded in reaching the nver the not preath
Of the IRE cutting them down az they ram But mere
new danger befen The COWS, terrified by smoke and
Fame rushed great lowing drove to the river brink
Women and children were trampled by the frightened
bruteS and many losing their hold on the friendly logs
we're swept under the waters.
IN THE FLAMES.
ThG was the situation above the bridge; below, no
less narrowing thing happened The burning tmoers OF
the mill built at the edge Of the bridge, blew and hoated
down upon the multitude assembled near the Oats, and
inflicted the most lamentabe suerings The men fought
tAis new death bitterly; those who were fortunate
enough TO coats flung them over the heads OF wives
end children and dipped water with their hats on the
improFIsed shelter. Scores had every shred Of hair
burned on In the battle, and many lost their lives in
protecting others. The nremen had made an effort TO
Of the buildings, and the hose was run from
the to important edHce. The heat instantly
stopped the attempt but not before the hose swollen
Nth water had heAn hnrned through In q hundred