The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-11-11
and Incidents OF The
Northern Esre.

!
There are some phases of the great ca
! lamity which fell upon this region last
week worthy scientific investigation. The
! testimony Of the cooler headed survivors
of the fires at Peshtigo, the Sugar Bush
and WilIiamsonville, is united as to one
phenomena They say that the fire did
! not como upon them gradually from burn
! ing trees aud other objects TO the wind
ward. but the first notice they had of It
was a whirlwind of flame in great clouds,
! from above the tops of the trees, which
fell upon and eEyeloped everything! The
atmosphere seemed one of fire. The poor
/ people inhaled it, or the intensely hot air,
and fell down dead. This is verified by
the appearance of many Of the corpses.
| They were found dead in the roads and
| open spaces, where there were no visible
marks of fire near by, with not trace Of
burning upon their bodies or clothing. -
At the Sugar Bush, which is an extended
| clearing, in some places four miles in
width. Corpses were found in the open
road, between fences which were only
slightly burned No mark of fire was
upon them, but they laid there as IT
asleep. This phenomenon seems to ex-
plain the fact that so many were killed IN
compact masses. They seemed to have
huddled together in what were evidently
regarded at the moment as the safest
places, away from buildings, trees, or
l other infiamable material, and there to
have died together. Fences around clear
ed fields were burned in spots of only
few rods in length, and elsewhere not
touched Fish were killed in the streams,
as at Peshtigo.
We bear the universal testimony that
the prevailing idea among the terror
stricken people of these places was that
the last day had come. They needed
not TO be terror stricken for such lnagln-
| ings What other explanation could be
given to that imminent time, when there
was an ominous warning and sound com
ing from the distance when the sky, 80
dark just before, burst into great clouds
of fire, the beasts Of the forests came run
/ ing for succor into the midst Of the settle
mcnts, and great, red, consuming, roar
ing hell of fire fell upon>all around. The
dreadful scene lacked nothing but the
SOuLGllig VI TIC ldcI IL Lui d'4N ibNNSN
the approaching of the awful roaring, and
premoniiions from the distance supplied
even that to the appalled, imaginings of
the people.
The Epsy theory, we think il is, that
continued and widespread fires will bring
on rain, seems to be entirely exploded in
this instance These fires had lasted
nearly or quite four weeks, rsvaging for
ests over great ares, and still not drop
of rain. The rain only came with a
change of wind to the northward, and
several days after the worst burnings were
over with.
WHAT A SURVEYOR SAYS.
To person not in ths fire it seems in
credible that so many should lave per-
shed in the flames. To me, and | pre-
sumo most of those who were in the fire,
1t seems miracle that go many were
saved. If you suppose the worst snow
| storm you ever witnessed, and each SHOWS
fake coal or spark of fire, driven before
ficrco wind, you will have some idea OF
the state of the atmosphere at the time
the fire struck the town. We all know
how little presence of mind many persons
have in times of great excitement, and
but few persons know just what TO do
when death, in lis most appalling form,
stares them in the face. Of one thing,
however, we may be sure, ALL under such
circumstances, do tie best they are capa-
ble of doing. There were deeds of hero
lam, that fearful night in Peshtigo, that
are worthy a place by the side of the
/ brightest and noblest facts of history
Many lost their lives in attempting to save
the lives Of others. Many have been
found clasping some darling object of af
fecti0n IN their arms, as Ill the act OF
shielding them from the fire. Mothers
were dreadfully burned, but saved the
little ones. Husbands and fathers were
also burned, but saved their families -
One was dreadfully burned in attempting
to save his wife and two children but
they were burned A young lady ran for
The river with child in her arms but,
overcome by The heat and fright, tainted
and was dragged TO the water by some
one and saved. In tho morning she
learned that her sister WAS burned -
One old man, after the fire abated. was
found so burned in the side that bis en-
trails hung out. His hands and face
were horribly burned, and he begged pitt
eously for some one to kill him and put
an end to his misery. y.-Grcea Bay Adr0
cate.
THE Democratic leaders of the State
! of New York did not hesitate rs to what