The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-10-16

Chicago brethren.
The Great Fires In tho Wcst-A Fearful
Visitation.
The terrible details of the Western fires are
being gradually revealed to us, and they pre-
sent picture too fearful and agonizing to be
readily realized by those who are living in
ease and safety, far removed from the scene
of suffering. To-day we publish brief but
graphic account Of the ravages in and around
the village Of Peshtego, Wisconsin, and 1t is
to be feared that the scenes there depicted
have been but too frequently enacted
10 other localities during this season
Of extraordinary visitation. Our pres
ent account comes from Oconto county, In
the northeast corner Of Wisconsin, and from
the southern part of Menomonee county, in
Northern Michigan, bordering upon Green
Bay. The Peshtego river runs into Green
Bay from northwesterly direction, and
about seven miles up from the harbor of Pesh-
tego is the village of that name. The next
township to that of Peshtego is Marinette,
which is divided from Menomonee county,
Michigan, by the Menomonee river, and on
that river stands the village Of Marinette.
It appears that the first intimation the
residents of the doomed village Of Peshtego
received Of the calamity that awaited them
was on the evening of Sunday, the 9th instant
after the close of the services at the churches,
when there was suddenly heard roaring,
rushing sound, likened to the first distant
mutterings of q storm, or the hoarse murmur
Of an angry sea, As this strange and terrify-
ing noise increased the poor creatures seem to
have been aroused to presentiment Of coming
danger, Il may have been listened to at
first without serious apprehension. a tbs se
supposed precursor Of one of those
fierce but comparatively harmless sweep
ings of the wind that so frequently
pass over the broad prairie lands of the West.
But soon it began to be realized that deadly
heat was in the breath of that horrible tornado,
and the warning reflection of mighty confla-
grafton was cast over the scene. We are told
that electric flames shot through the air; that
balls Of fire fell like meteors in different parts
of the village, igniting whatever they came in
contact with, as though mysterious and re-
lentless army had been pouring "shot and
shell, fire of hell" over the devoted town.
We must leave to science to decide, in calmer
moments, whether the phenomena so wildly
described by the excited sufferers had actually
any existence, or whether they were only
blazing particles from the burning forests and
prairies, whirled along and famed by the
driving wind. The horror stricken inhabi-
tants appear then to have first awakened to
the knowledge that destroying fire was rush
ing towards their homes, borne upon the
wings of the tornado, and instantly the peace
full village, inst settling down to the re-
pose OF Sabbath evening, was a
scene Of terror and confusion scarcely
to be pictured in the imagination of
those who were not eye-witnesses of
the frightful calamity. Parents clasped their
children in their arms and fed from their
houses, knowing not in what direction to seek
for safety. There was no time to think of
more than life, and that, unfortunately, could
not In many hundreds of cases be preserved.
We are told that the poor creatures flying in
terror were in many instances Tapped up by
the hungry flames and scorched and withered
and burned in their tracks. But the details
are too horrible for repetition. They will be
read in the accounts we have now received,
and shall y i 70 be feared, continue to receive,
from the scenes Of the disasters.
Enough is already known to convince us
that the burning Of Chicago, sad as it was,
can be reckoned as light grief when COM
pared with the devastation of these prairie
homes and qniet villages in the Far West.
The one entails mainly destruction Of prop
erty-pecuniary loss-which the great gene
rosity of the civilized world can do much to
tighten if not altogether to reimburse. The
latter carries in its desolatng path the most
horrible of deaths, and strikes thousands of
hearts with a sorrow keener and more last
ing than any the loss of mere worldly
goods can bring. Yet even the pecuniary
suffering must be greater among these villages
and prairie settlers than with the people of a
large city. The former have no neighbors left
in comparative affluence to relieve their i'm
mediate necessities, and no hope of a speedy
rally from their sudden poverty by aid of the
spirit of enterprise which always comes to the
rescue Of young and vigorous city like Chi
cago. They must remain in their sor-
row and want, brooding over their
misery, unless the hand of sympathy
is stretched forth for their comfort
and relief 1t is therefore to be sincerely
hoped that the noble and wonderful impulse
which has prompted all the world to extend
such glorious assistance to the people Of Chi
cago will be again awakened by the sufferings
of these Western villagers, and that por-
ton Of the grand stream of benevolence now
flowing into the Western metropolis will be
turned towards the forests and the prairies
where there is SO much need of sympathy and