The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1871-06-17
THE MOUNTAIN HOLOCAUST.

Thrilling Experiences OF New York
Tourists-Hemmcd In by Ftre--Prob-
Grandeur.
From the N Y. Times, 23th.
Additional news from the vicinity of
| the Hudson river mountain forest con-
fagrations, indicate a more extensive
devastation of property and possible
| loss of life than had before been re-
ported. Last year, about this time, an
immense territory in the same counties
| was swept over by destructive fire,
but not such valuable land. It is i'm
possible to be exact in figures, but it is
not extravagant to say that ten thou
sand acres have been burned over
There is no doubt but that these
fires were of incendiary origin
There are many persons OF gypsy
habits who lead an uncertain life as
squatters on the mountain sides A
small clearing, with log hut or cabin
cow, pig or two, and, possibly,
horse, constitute their worldly posses
sions. Wood-chopping, collecting bark,
roots and herbs, and hunting, are their
occupation. Every spring they usually
set fire to the underbrush along the
hillsides, for the purpose of benefiting
the berry crop, which is invigorated by
this process, and an enormous quantity
of blackberries and huckleberries are
annually gathered by them.
Generally these fires have been
guarded, but latterly this has not been
the case. Whenever efforts have been
made to arres, and prosecute these
parties the attempts failed for want of
| oh olo
carelessness OF hunters caused the mis-
chief. The reckless destruction of mil
lions of trees-much of it fine timber
thousands of cords of tanners bark,
and ship-joints, with fences, and even
barns and dwellings, has aroused the
the people to concerted effort to find an
effectual remedy.
| Liberty Village is IN the centre of the
| burnt district. 1t is nestled in lovely
valley, surrounded by luxuriant mea-
dow lands, sloping upward until the
skirt of the mountain forests is reached.
The mountain walls are visible in every
direction. Their leafy forests and oc-
casional cascades form landscape view
of surprising beauty The horrors of
the recent confagration were indscrib-
able It seemed as though the world
itself Was on fire. A vast cloud of
smoke overhung the valley by day, and
currents of air occasionally brought
showers of clnders, scattering them
hither and thither, terrifying every one
! The wild animals were driven from their
dens down to the lowlands, and an end
! less variety of rabbits, squerrels, foxes
and snaks gathered around the farm
houses and barns. The night scenes
were indescribably grand. Viewed
/ from the village, the mountains seemed
to be overfowing with liquid fire, the
| highest peaks sending up gigantic
! columns of flame like colossal torches
/ thousand feet high.
These fiery tongues darted to and for
as though hungry and ;ravenous for food
/ to feed upon. The whirlwinds caught
up quantities of sparks and tossed them
IN the air, 10 float and scatter like pyro-
! technics. At intervals, huge masses of
smoke would brood over the flames, and,
descending, seem to smother them into
darkness. Again the awful blaze would
flash up as vivid as lightning, until the
volume of fire seemed to fill every inch
of space. Where the bark and cord
wood bad been piled up, there arose
towering blaze of surprising splendor.
one OF these places, on the highest
rocks, seemed like an internal strong
hold walled in with solid fire. The
rocky cliffs and deep gorges appeared
aglow, and vom.ted out blasts of scorch-
ing heat, and glowing, red-hot light.
The brooks poured down misty cur
rents, bearing the bodies of fishes, birds
and animals The creek below was
full of these floating bodies. The
thunderous roar OF the contiagration,
as it ran rumbling, swapping and crack
ing through the woods made the scene
doubly grand and terrific.
Three gentlemen from this city
Messrs. Grey, of London, England
NJ Garfield and Edward Horstman,
were out on II trouting and hunting ex-
curslon, and without any thought of
the possible peril to themselves, ven
tured to a commanding site to enjoy
the view. They were rapt In wonder
until the sharp crakling of the fire at
their feet startled them One glance
sut1iced to show that they were actually
hemmed in with fire With feelings of
terror they hurried away, and by fire
quently rolling themselves in the mud
and water, and prostrating themselves
for cool air, they ran the awful gaunt-
let, and emerged into the green fields
and fresh air Their hair and
garments, however, bore evidence
of the intence heat through which
/ they had passed Mountain residents
informed these tourists that at least
three cabins inhabited by families were
In ashes, and thus far no tldings had
been obtained of the fate of the people
occupying them. cold Sam Cooper,
a hermit of the Misunderstanding
style is believed to have persisted in
his hut. No one has been able to get
to it. He lived alone at distant point,
in little terrace dell, on the summit
of "Adam's Apple" one of the noun
tain peaks. He was very seldom seen
outside of the forest. He occupied his
time in fishing, hunting, and kindred
pursuits. He was quite book-worm,
and occupied himself in the winter
months with his library, said to have
been quite an unique collection. No
one knows his history, which certainly
has the veritable color of romance.
Several persons who were reported
as missing have been accounted for,
but it seems impossible that all could
have escaped. The burnt district is a
mass of smoldering Goals, and cannot
be traversed by any living creature.
The blackened, desolate billsides, yet
glowing with heat and emitting smoke,
are in hideous contrast to the smiling