The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-10-28
4 WOMAN'S ACCOUNT OF THE
GREAT FIRE
Untold SnHrrings Of the People tH
the Northwest.
SrEuRExviTLE, October 26, 1871.

Untold SuHerings Of the People is
the Northwest.
SrEuRENvlI October 26, 1871.
A letter has been received here by a
friend of ours. containing incidents OF
the northwestern ropflagrstiou that w"
have no, yet seen in the columns Of any
of our overlooking journals II is datrd
at Oshkosh, October - The writer
, saws:
II am sure y0u have heard something
Of the horror OF this stricken region.
and perhaps you 'ecl some solicltude,
Thank God, we vet are spared, but This
week has been more terrible than any
during the war. The fires had come so
near Oshkosh last week that we were
very uncomfortable Tor two or three
DAYS on account of the smoke. and some.
how terrible prescntIment came creep
ing over me day by day that the end
was not yet Every one said that there
would be no loss OF lite, though immense
loss Of properly, from the hundreds of
miles that were being burned over.
They thought the lew people scattered
through the woods would escape To the
villages aud be safe there. w. wished
| wouIdut be 50 nervous, but still ] WAS
afraid. Saturday night we had quite n
large fire. nearly dozen buildings, and
the town as dry ~ tinder. Sunday
afternoon there was another large fire
on the other side OF us. Monday the
fearful news from Chicago came 10
every hour, and when our bells rang
ont again nearly tainted.
Tuesday, before ! had arisen ani
dressed, hand.bilIs were sent around Tor
us To cook Tor fifty thousand starving
people Of Chicago. We went right 10
work, and cooked beans and tomatoes
all day, and sent them at i've o'clock
While W WAS gone TO the depot the
Major came Tor him Ia rally the ply
sicians OF the city 10 90 {" the burnt
district above Green Bay. where
hundreds were burnt, aud utterly desii
tute. As soon as w. came IN he sail,
Just as you say. mother; bat the news
from there is terribe--far worse than
from Chicago Oi course ! couldn't
cav no, 10 he ran over 10 DR.. Russell
and then to some other physicians, and
sent the police around TO gather up the
rest. Then he got an order from the
Mavor, bought musl n. cotton, mrdi.
cines, etc, and came home to swallow =
few mouthlulls then kissed me aud WAS
of Well, the word kept coming wore
and worse, ill tonight was just sick,
more like that night when Lincoln Was
assassinatei. Several ladies came-tu
see me yesterday and today, ani
brought me some nice thing, TO eat
Alter dark tonight lady came in md
said she had heard from W aud u. was
all sale. The doctors had all returned
except him and one other Onr Of
them was coming To see me as soon ~
he could get away from the crowd on
the streets. Pretty soon he came md
such a tale o hVrror.. Six HUNDRED
dead already tonnd IT,. doctor. had
dressed one hundred and fly burned
ones. Oh the particulars are fearful !
One man. who had been sick with lever.
was dragged half u mile by brr wife,
apd buried 10 the sand, aud finally fear.
fully burned w. dressed him aud gave
him soothing medicines, but he died
before morning One woman, with both
hands burned TO a crisp and her whole
body burned, Lad living baby born.
All that were ,aye1 were all nigh, in
the water, and have their heads and
hands scorchch They would 6n !
groups OF ten or fifteen bodies Ia thr
fields. Dyseptery is already Getting IN,
from the exposnr. Of = whole night IN
the water, aud then twodays Of hunger
and nakedncs= no shelter, no tool, NO
clothing. For forty miles from Green
/ Bay, all the Villages are burned, and
people are found scattered all over.
Some after living all night 10 the water,
dropped dead upon reaching the shore.
The animal. rushed into The water IS
we'll. One little girl be!d on 10 COW 4
horns all night, and was saved. The
milk of the cows was all the poarish'
p,eut they hai--Lot one BIT oi shelter
ior all mat va. eHpanse. Vast NUN
bers OF animals perish.d before reach
ing the river, ani the stencil from tbsi .
bodies il fearful. Pesh,igo had atou,
seventeen hundred people. They had
mostly gone TO bed when the hurricane
brought the fire iros1 the woods. and 10
ten minutes the village was ablaze, and
all who conld not reach the water per
ished. One corner oi great brick
manufactory is all that remains o
Peshtigo. What will the end be
Authorities have closed the mills here
till after We have rain. as Q single sparl
might lay waste the whole city. W.
had little shower on Monday evening
w. and DR.. B. have one hundred sDo
!. Fifty cases to care tor. They have 60
shelter for these now, and are sendipI
J them to Green Bay as fact as they can
Exploring par,ies are still bringin!
others in. At such . time . kind
skillful surgeon can do. oh! bow muel
goodf'