Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1871-11-03
THE WISCONSIN FIRES.
Terrible Loss OF Life-Belief thar at Least
One Thousand Persons Have Perished-
Proclamation by Gov. Fairchild.
From the Milwaukee Sentinel, Oct. IA.

l. frOcta1notlOn Dy eSOV. EalrCnuus
From the Milwaukee Sentinel, Oct. IA.
GREEN BAY, Oct. 12.--The news from
Peshtigo and vicinity is of a most heart
rending character. Three hundred and
twenty-five dead bodies have been found
and buried up to last night, and more
are supposed to have been lost. On the
east shore the. news is also dreadful.
Nearly one hundred dead bodies have
been found and buried, and doubtless
more are burned in that fearful confa-
grafton. Many that have been dread
fully burned have been brought here,
and more are constantly arriving. AS
sistance is coming to their relief, and
| food and clothing are being sent to the
sufferers as rapidly as possible.
To Mayor Ludington
GREEN BAY, Oct. 1S.-The northern steamer
| is Just in. DR.. Nichols, Of your city, and
other passengers bring the horrible news
that four hundred and seventy dead bodies
have been found at Peshtigo and vicinity,
| and it is thought that the loss of life will
reach seven hundred. This is exclusive of
the east shore, where the loss of life is fear
full. ROBINSON BRO.
THE FIRES IN DOOR COUNTY. gynE
The fire is raging with unabated fury in
Door county. The brother of Deputy Sheriff
| Fagg. of this city, resident Of Forestvilie,
writes that he has fought tie fire for three
| weeks. During the time there was not an
hour of perfect security. Showers of burn
| ir q leaves and cinders would fall when least
expected, and it required the utmost vigi-
lance to save his residence and barn. The
fire went around him on every side, and his
barn, containing the harvest of months offs
labor, took fire three times, but in each case
he was successful in saving it. All his cord
wood and timber is destroyed, the hre sweep
ing everything north of Two Rivers. Large
numbers had passed his place to seek .
refuge beyond the course of the destroyer, -
many having broken up their households, p,
the members starting in different directions
for succor and aid. 144hl u J.. sa0I ygNUol
In Forestville thirty residents have lost
everything on their premises, the flames -
leaving their fields charred and barren. 4 Ate Z
Clayb the circumstances are about the
same 'i(.~ g. SI"ut .94 y "i eN!DA0
About three or four miles from, Forestyille. q
a great fire RACES, desolating everything in
its course. ! Many families are reported .
homeless, and all the live stock burned In
MANY instances families saved themselves
by lettingthemselves down into wells. Mr., ~
Fage also writes that his brother-in-law ar
rived while he was penning the letter, and5
reported that twenty-five bodies had been, q,
hemmed in and burned short distance .
above Forestville, and another group ofisixl! 1!
at another place. o.
The letter contains but a faint idea of the "
devastation and suffering at and beyond
Forestvlle.
THE HORRORS INCREASING 'ysLuo9
MAR1NETrE Wis, via Green Bay, Oct b..
There have been $50 wounded brought here \
from Peshtigo, and there are scores who ares
living in the bushes within twelve or four
teen miles who are alive, but cannot be2s
reached to-day. Whole families, having let -
themselves down into wells, were burned to
death even there, and Were covered -upw
where, they laid. No reports have been
oyerdrawn. The loss of life is fearful. 4" tSh'
AN APPEAL THAT SHOULD BE HEEDED, III alA
To the People of Wisconsin:
GREEN BAY, Oct. t.l3.-The accounts of thew
appalling calamity which has fallen upon,
the east and west shores of Green Bay have
not been exaggerated. The burned districtos
comprises the counties OF Ooonto, Brown,
Door and Kewaunee, and parts Of Manitowoc
and Outagamie. The great loss OF lie ana
property has resulted from the whirlwind
of fire which swept over the coun try, max
ing the roads and avenues OF escape i'm
nassible with fallen timber and burned
bridges. The previous long drouth had pre- I
pared everything for the flames. The loss
of life has been very great. The first esti--
mates were entirely Inadequate, and even
now it is feared that it is much greater than
present accounts place. 1t is known that at
least 900 persons have been either q
burned, drowned or smothered. OF these
deaths, six hundred or more were at Pesh7
tigo and adjacent places, and the others In
Door, Kewaunee, and Brown counties Men
are now penetrating that almost inaccessible r
region for the purpose of affording relief,
and fear that their reports will increase
this estimate. From the most reliable
sources of information ! can learn that no -
less than 5000 men, women, and children r
have been rendered entirely destitute.
Mothers are left with fatherless children,
fathers with motherless children; children
are left homeless orphans. Distress and in
tense suffering are on every hand, where e
but few days ago were comfort and happl-
ness. Scores of men, women and little u
children now lie helpless. They are burned
and manned in temporary hospitals, cared
for by more fortunate neighbors. These b.
suffering people must be supplied with food,
bedding, clothing, feed for their cattle, and -
the means of providing shelter during the7s r
winter. The response by the good people
of Wisconsin has already been prompt and
generous Itis meeting the immediate need,
and is being faithfully and energetically
distributed through the relief organization 4
of Green Bay, but provision must be made
for months in the future. There are wanted
-four, salt and cured meats, not cooked.
blankets, bedding, stoves, baled hay, build
ing materials, lights, farming implements
and tools, boots, shoes, and clothing for men,
women, and children, log chains, axes with
handles, nails glass, and house trimmings,
and, indeed, everything needed by farm
ing community that has lost everything. -
To expediate the transfers at Green Bay :
all boxes should have cards attached to
them, stating their contents, and all sup .
plies should be sent to the relief committee
at Green Bay. Money contributed should be
converted into supplies, but should be Tor
warded to the committee Depots nave been =
established at Green Bay, under the man
agement of committee of pubic-sprlted, =,
and energetic men who have the confidence
of all, for the receiving and despatching OF
supplies. They have organized system OF -
sub-depots contiguous to the burned regions,
and steam boats and wagons are being sent.
out with supplies. Let us uphold their 81
hands IN the good work, and see that their
depots be kept full to overfowing. 1t is, 4
fortunate that we live in a wealthy and pros
porous State, blessed with prosperity in
business and overfowing harvests, and that
thus we are, by wise Providence, endowed
with a means to help our less fortunate
neighbors. .. -.
am urged by public-spirited citizens Of
the State to call an immediate extra session g.
of the Legislature to provide for'this calsm-.i'
ity. have given serious attention to- this
suggestion, and have concluded not to do so, 4
for the reason that the expense of such
session would be likely to equal the amount
which the State would be asked to contribuCe
Believing, therefore, that the people AID
the Legislature will endorse my actionsln
this emergency, / have, in conjunction with n
the State Treasurer, decided to advance sucn -
a moderate sum of money as seems to be aP5u
propriate in addition to that contributed.
LUc1Us FAIRcHILD,
i q Of W;qcnngIT.-.E