The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-10-19
TEMPLE OF FIRE.

tale of the disastrous fires, which have
been wasting the counties Of Brown, Ke
wauaee and Door, for the past two
months remains 70 be told and has
no parallel in the history Of fire. Chica
90 in ashes, and Rome an ocean Of
fame" sink into insigniicance in com
parison. An unbroken line of fire from
two, to six miles in width coming from
God knows where; but appearing like
messenger, sent out of hell, on an errand
of destruction and Death, driven by
violent wind, driving before it everything
that could escape by flight, aud leaving
behind waste of biackened and smol-
dering ruins, swept up the centre of the
peninsula, over portions OF the towns Of
Humboldt and Green Bay, Brown Co.
also Casco, Red River and Lincoln NEAR
~ delnolishing the latter, in Kewaunee
Co; then as if reinforced a thousand
fold, burst into the town of Brussell, in
Door Co, and eliminated in tornado.
vhirlwind, that was terrific beyond con-
ception; with an awful roar that was
heard a distance Of fifteen miles; a pow
er tina. bore down the forest ike rushes ::
and a heat that reduced to ashes
large sized green timber and sent bill
| lows of flames far above the talest trees
and tongues Of fire that dashed the sky !:
| sped on its fearful way, in circle en-
| closing an area Of at least thirty square
| miles. with a wall of fire: the blaze far
| up in the sky bearing inward toward the
centre thus forming complete Temple
| Of Fire, of surprising grandeur, and mag
nifcence, to beholders without: hut an
arena of death, in its most appalling
form to those within; lasting in this
way nearly two hours when the wind
)ulled, the wall settled and the messen-
ger retired; taking the precaution how
ever, to run over the heated arena, and
leave it a blackened and smoking ruin.
Within this circle persisted with few
exceptions, every thing that had life or
value; the farmers with their families ::
mill owners with their employees deal
ers with their goods all buildings with
their contents, and all domestic and wild
animals and fowls. The doomed people
as if unaware of their perilous situation,
spent priceless moments in burying, and
otherwise trying to secure their property;
but soon an intense heat settled upon
them, forcing them to seek the coolest
retreats upon the ground, where they lay
down and expired, and were afterward
burned to a crisp by the fire which swept
over them.
A few witnesses remain to attest the
truth of the above statement Anton
Gartner, and wife, and three children,
and young man named Charles Metke,
lay down upon the ground, but the heat
becoming too intense, took refuge in Il
we'll and were saved They say, that
the sky seemed blaze of fire, and the
atmosphere glare Of light, with but
little wind, or smoke. A Belgian escap-
i"S mum "Hotiioi part, SiA iiliGS from
them, stated that he thought Jesus
Christ had come to rain fire upon the
earth an that Ere aud red hot stones
rained down from Heaven. 4 man and
woman were saved, in block house, the
house protecting them from the deadly
heat, and alone escaping the general con
hagration.
The scenes witnessed by those who
went out to bury the dead, were such as
to melt the stoutest hearts At William
sons mill, where, few houres before
were seventy souls, consisting OF employ
er and employees, and their families;
only four are known TO have escaped.
Fifty-fVe Of their charred remains weie
found in a garden.
At SchoGcid and Latham 8 mill, " hich
vas also destroyed, eight bodies we're
found, and small part Of another. Ia
the eastern part OF the town of Brussels
thirty-slx bodies were founl, some lying
in groups, others alone in death. 4
"o'Idu dLISLn ptinS TO escape from her
burning house, with her child in Ter
arms, was compelled to drop the
child, and a few rods further on, to yield
herself to the devouring element. A
load OF bark upon wagon, remained;
but the oxen, and the owner, and tho,e
Tor whom they Eabored, persisted. a
STOKE found in yard, containing 4
clock, and a watch in its oven; the cloak
indicating the time at l01 O'clock: but
the owners were among the dead Bur
L am extending this account to too great
a length, and must leave it for an ADLER
pen; though the half has not been told
Thus, in five hours, three hundred
square miles, lat least) of territory, was
left In blackened ruins, three hundred
families sent scorched, bleeding, and
penniless, from their homes, and. two
hundred souls. to that bourn, from whence
no traveller returns.
G. S. CANRIGHT.