South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1871-10-27

furious gale, blowing toward the lake. The
whole surface OF the county Is the west
ward, eastward aud s0nthward seemed TO be
one mass OF flame, which almost reached to
the lowering clouds and rushed along at
race-hOrse speed. Even where Alr. Clark
was the heat was intense Beyond toward
the lake was the settlement of williamson
Mills, comprising about fourteen families.
The FIRE suddenly made a rush ike the fash
Of train Of guupowder, ani sweep, in the
shape of crescent around the settlement
IL is Amos. impossible TO conceive the
frightful rapidity Of the advance of the
flames The rushing fire seemed to eat up
aud aEuihilate the trees
the RUsH OF THE FIERY BLAST
/ The roar Of the blast was as loud as the
whirr or great mill. a we stood look
ing on, say at about ten O'Clock, we heard
another strange sound. Siraining our eyes
toward the fre-about seven miles distant
we could just discern something moving;
now It would appear like black mass, then
/ II would separate into fragments, swaying
to aud fro, and bobbing up and down. It
came toward us directly from the lurid,wall
ot iilme. - intense was the glare of
light all about US that our eyes were dazei;
they rau with water, and we could see only
by constantly using our haudkerchiefs At
last we made out by Sght and sould that
I the moving mass was stampede of cattle
and horses laundering along toward Us a.
/ way from the fumes, believing, neighing,
and moaning as they galloped on. Final
ly they came rushing pas, with fearful
/ speed, their cyeballs dia,ed and glaring
/ 5fl
dGiifium Of fright Some had been badly
burned, and must have plunged through a
/ long space Of fame in the desperate effort
! TO escape.
FAMILY'S FATE.
Following considerably behind came a
solitary horse painting ADD snoring and
nearly exhausted. He was snddled and
brdlod, and, as We first thought, had bag
dashed to his back As he came up we
were startled at the sight of young lad
/ lying fallen over the animals neck, the
/ bride womb around his hands and the
/ maue being cliuched by the fingers Lii
/ tie effort was needed to stop the faded
horse, and at once release the helpless boy.
/ He was taken into the house, and all that
( we could do was done but be had inhaled
the smoke, and was seemingly dying. Some
time elapsed, & he revived enough to speak
/ He told his name, Patrick Byrnes, and said:
"Father and mother and the children
/ got iuto the wagon | don't know what
became of them. Everything is burned
up. | am dying Oh, is hell any worse
than this -
The poor fellow lay in critical condi-
! ton when ! left The next morning we
drove down TO the settlement The first
house we came to was that Of Patrick
Byrnes, father of the lad before spoken Of
4 H. was heap Of ashes. The brick chin
/ ncy, the cooking stove, and iron portions of
farm tools were the only remnants of the
Place. Tho forest was burnt down close to
the GROUND, the siumps only being left,
smoulacring and smoking Everything was
hot Even the road was baked and crack
cd by the heat
ROASTED on THE ROADSIDE.
About a mile further on we came to
! horrible spectacle Alongside the road in
gully lay the bodies Of six persons and
two horses, roasted to n crisp The iron
tires of the wheels and brace and bolts Of
the wagon were scattered about Here the
fire had surrounded aud cnguIf,d them
Evidently The animals IN their mad strug-
giles had reared, plunged ar"l fallen head
long from the road to where they died.
4 VILLAGE ~ ASHES
We hurried on. All along the road lay
the carcassc5 Of cattle, sheep, hog. and
dogs, burnt 70 q crisp The ,mtlier ami
mails were almost entirely consumed Now
we came to the village Nothing was left
but piles % ashes, smoking AND shoulder
ing In the collar Of one house we found
eight bodies One Of man was in sto7p-
Ing position over that VI "a child. MS though
be died trying to ward of ihe atmas This
was very likely the body of Mr. Wuum-
son. the owner Of the mills, who. with his
entire family, is said 20 have persisted. tn
'hg rear yard ct tbc next house waro four
bodies, apparently those ot mother and
her children. They were .clrchai, not
burnt t1a crisp, and one check of the youu-
gc-t, gi.l # six, retained no expression
nc rl'uness that eocu,l 10 Indicate pain
less death by suflacatiou.
4 HORRIBLE Attn STRUGGLE Is a WELL.
But The most horrible Of al' was 20 Bo,r
man'swe.l Mr. y lrnla'- house was lhc
llrga- in tie village, and 30 n. centre Of
fho yard, midway between tha house aud
barn, w17 o large but shaIlow we'll Svo-
ral of "Lhhors were supplied With wac
'or from thi- fountain, and Is likely that
Sol tHa e1ul1gn'iau, when a'I l07e v cut
30, i.e g.a,r inaaa ui.h f.rr.r.
tarlng q |.l ono purpose tI th w..l-
Iac orl'uary chain auI vince. pump used
iu that place bod been removed, and fha
wrptche people hal llp-l into the well as