Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-11-15
A LAUNDERING Town Burned.

The following is the sad story Of the
burning Of the town of Poshtigo,
Michigan Advancing steadily onward
the fro ut last cnyelopcd and destroy
cd the little town Of Peshligo. We
have still TO receive full accounts of
tho tragedy, but we know already
that five hundred unfortunate people
have perishcd. Tha village is some
seven miles from the harbor, and on
a Sunday evening the same wind pro.
badly that worked the ruin Of Chicago,
blowing with tho force Of hurricane,
famed the smouldering Gre in the
forests around into blaze and drove
the fire into the village. This was
within q l9w minutes of tho time
when the Chicago fire broke -out-==be,
tweenten aud eleven o'clock In less
than ten minutes the entire village
was in flames, many poor people, who
bad retired for tho night, had not
time TO escape from their homes, and
were burned alive in their own homes
There vas no possibility of checking
the ilames and the surrounding forests
presented one mass Of fire. The peo-
pie could only hy to the river for
safety. Those living in close proxim.
tty to the water reached it and waded
in till il reached their necks. Here
they remained from two to four hours
and by wetting their heads were able
to escape with life. But many were
badly burned about the head and face
whilo in the water. Many were
drowned. Others, womena and children
died from the exposure. Those who
lived only one or two streets from the
river were stricken down by the
flames and burned to death before
reaching the water, whole families
were destroyed In the morning the
streets were strewn with burned
bodies
Eight or nine bodies in one corner
were found near together One fami
ly, consisting Of father, mother and
six children, were found dead togcth.
er within three feet Of the water. It
is impossible to give a correct estimate
OF the loss Of life, 1t is supposed that
tho inmates OF the Peshtigo Compa.
ny's boarding house, one hundred and
upwards in number nearly all perish
cd. Every report from the neighbor
hood settlements bring Information Of
houses burned and many lives lost
The immense pail factory and large
sawmill, aud the stores, bridges, loco
motives and cars were burncd and
every, kind Of properly destroyed.
As soon as the fro bad sufficiently
subsided, all that were ablo went to
the rclicfoftho sufferers Blackeued
charrcd corpscs were lying in every
direction, with their clothing as II
general thing, nearly or quito burucd
Off Many dead bodies were fUund-in
the river, and many more have since
been recovered. A number have died
from their bruises, while others are
crippled or icarlully disfgurcl. The
most imaginative miud cannot begin
to realize this fearful calamity much
less my poor pen to describe it. The
shrieks and groans OF the dying, and
Of those who had lost near and dear
friends; the ghastly aspect of The
blackened corpscs the shocking ap.
poarance of many, who badly burned
and almost destitute of clothing, were
running they knew not where others
in the last agonies OF death, made a
picture too horrid for contentempla-
lion. Tho sufferers have all been
taken to Green Bay, and other towns,
where they will be kindly cared for,
as hospitality is one OF the marked
traits of the West. Tho loss to the
Peshligo Company, who owned the
factories and most Of the town, be.
sides large pine lands, is estimated at
three million dollars, besides the loss
of their extensive warehouses in Chi
cago.