Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-10-17
Thc ronaogro,ious m yyiscousi,

The awful destruction of life and property by
the fires in Wisconsin and Michigan can be
partly appreciated from the following account
of the destruction OF Peshtgo, one town of
many that have been devastated:
The village was stuarcd on Peshtigo river,
! seven miles from Green Bay. 1t was n nice lit
! lie town of about 20OO inhabitants, quite rceu-
larly laid out, had fine hotels, stores, churches,
schools, &C. besides the large factory owned by
the PeSlugo manufacturing company, sash,
door and blind factory nd foundry also owned
| by the same company, who owned nearly every
building in the town. The factory was devoted
to the manufacture OF pals, tubs, broom
handles, &C., and gave employment to about
100 hands in the different branches,
The town is nearly surrounded BY pine forests,
the suburban portions being built "amon% the
pines The inhabitants have for the past ten
days been fighting fire in the woods irving to
save the town, and had settled down into a feel
inc of comparative security, since the woods on
all sides had been more or less burned over
On Sunday night they were awakened from
this feeling Of security by a noise like distant
thunder, which increased in volume until the
crash Offalling trees and tue roar of the wind and
fire could be plainly heard. Soon after Il tor
nado burst upon the town, unrooting a number
of buildings and quickly followed by a solid
sheet Of flame, extending The whole length of
the village and far beyond each way In an in
slant the whole exposed side of the place was in
flames. Men, women and children rushed into
the street and, surrounded by fire on all sides,
were soon either smOthered or burned to death.
In the less exposed portions the people fled 10
the river and jumping in many were drowned.
Some saved their lives by keeping their bodies
well under water, and once in while putting
their heads under rs the heat became insufferable.
Others took refuge in wells and cisterns and were
saved Quite large portion of the inhabitants
ran to- field to the leeward of the fire. and by
laying on the ground were saved, although some
OF these were badly burned. There is but one
house left standing and that is isolated and
lately built Of green timber. As near as can at
present be ascertained, $50 lives have been lost.
mostly women and children. Although a good
many men have persisted, there are IS who are
badly burned, many Of whom win die, and
nearly all are more or less burned The destruC-
ton has been so complete that the streets cannot
be traced, all being covered with sand, which
was swept in great clouds by the tornado. In
some instances bodies have been found COM
pletely covered by sand.
! could fill columns with heart rendng Incl
dents Of this confagration, but will only rive a
few as illustrative OF the rest. In one instance
a man took his family and fed to the bridge
spanning the river. The bridge was soon on
fire, and the poor unfortunate family were near
~ roasted alive, and then jumped into the river
and were drowned. 4 woman, on seeing the
fire approaching, put her little girl, child of
six years. IN a well, which was nearly dry, and
ran to the river herself for security. The
woman was saved, and as soon as she could
found ont the locality, and her joy was so great
at finding the little one alive and well that she
SwOoned and on recovering clasped her child in
her arms, and ran off crying for joy.
Too few, alas, were so fortunate. In many
cases whole families have persisted In other
cases men have lost their families, they being,
at the time Of the fire, working to save the fac
tories. Ii other instances men persisted in their
endeaVor to save their families. In one case to
which my attention was called, Il little boy of
seven years is the only surviving member Of Il
numerous family. As soon as the fire had sufh-
GENTLY subsidized, all that were able went to the
relief of the sufferers Blackened, charred
corpScS were lying in every direction, with their
clothing, as Il general thing, nearly or quite
burned off, Many dead bodies were
found in the river, and more have
since been recovered. A number have
died from their bruises, while others are
crippled or iearlully disfgured. The most i'm
aglnatiye mind cannot begin to realize this fear
ful calamity, much less my poor pen to describe
1t. The Shrieks and groans of the dying, and
of those who had lost near and dear friends;
the CHASTITY aspect of the backened cOrpses;
the shocking appearance Of many who, badly
burned and almost destitute of clothing, were
running they knew not where; others in the
last agonies Of death, made picture too hOrrid
for contemplation. The sufferers have all been
taken to Green Bay and 'othcr towns, where
they will be kindly cared for, as hospitality is
one Of the marked traits Of the west, The loss
to the Peshtigo company, who owned the facto-
rics and most of the town, besides large pine
lands, is estimated at three million dollars, be-
sides the loss of their extensive warehouses in
Chicago,
Menuokaunee, town of seven or eight hun
dred inhabitants, is all destroyed hut three
houses, Fortunately no lives wcte lost here
MaIinette is also nearly all destroyed, Business
III tins section is partially suspended. All the
saw mills and factories at Oshkosh, Fon du Lac,
and other neighborng towns are stopped by an
order of the authorities,