The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-10-12
EXCITING INCIDENT OF THE WIS.
CONSIN WOODS FIRE.
From the Green Bay Advocate.
EEsHTIGO, September 2I Io1L

PeshtioO. Fer several days the fires had
been raging in the timber near here, be
tween this and OcOnto, and we We're com
peiled to run our horses some distance,
with fire above us and on either side of
MS, and barely escaped being singed
Saturday the fire burned through to the
river about mile above town, and
Saturday night much danger was appre
hended from the sparks and cindors that
blew across the river, into the upper part
Of the town, near the factory. A force
was stationed along the river, and although
ire caught in the sawdust and dry slabs
several times,was promptly extipguished
1t was a grand sight, the fire, that night
1t burned TO the tops of the tallest trees,
cnvelOped them in a mantle of flame, or
winding itself about them like a huge
serpent, Crept to their tops, out upon
their branches and wound its huge folds
about them and, kissing and glarlng,
Tapped out its myriad fiery tongues, while
its fierce breath swept off the green leaves
and roared through the forest like q
tempest. Ever and anon some tall old
pine, whose huge trunk had become a
column of fire, fell with a laundering
crash, filing the air with an ascending
cloud Of sparks and cindors, while above
being a dense, black cloud of resinous
smoke, that, in its strong contrast to tne
light beneath, seemed to threaten death
and destruction to all below.
Thousands Of birds, driven from their
ro0sts, few about as if uncertain which
why t. go, and made night hideous by
their startled cries Frequently they
would fly nilber and thithcr, calling
loudly for their mates then lowering FOR
moment in the air suddenly dart
downward and disappear in the fiery
furnace beneath. Thus the night wore
away while we ferpentiy prayed for rain.
Sunday morning the fires had died
down So that we began to hope that the
danger had passed. About eleven in the
morning, while we were setting in the
church prepared to listen to an interesting
sermon, the. minister having just announc-
ed his text and launched out under
'Jjr@Jy." the steam whistle Of the factory
blew wild blast which told us that
there was danger from terrestrial fires
more Immediately pressing than from
those internal, and we incOntinently left
the minister there and rushed out to see
what as the matter Fire had caught
in the saw dust near the factory again,
but before we reached the spot it was
eXiinguished The wind had suddenly
risen, and was blowing gale from the
northwest. The fires in the timbers were
burning more fierce than ever,and were
approaching he river directly opposite
rhe factory. The air was literally filled
with the burning Goals and cinders, which
fell ana caught frequently, and the ut
most diligence WAS necessary to preTent
them from spreading The engine was
brought out and hundreds Of pals from
the factory were manned and everything
that was possible done to prevent the fire
from entering the town.
But now q new danger arose. The fires
to the west of the town and south of the
OcontO were approaching the town
rapidly, and it seemed nothing short of a
miracle could save the village from utter
destruction. 4 cloud Of hot, binding
smoke blew in our faces and made it cx-
tremely difficult to see or do anything
but prompt and energetic means were
taken to check the approaching flames.
Mr.. Ellis, Superintendent OF the
Peshtigo Company, with Messrs. Shepard
Beebe, Hampstead Burns and Others Of
company's teams were set to hauling
water, and the whole force Of over three
hundred of the laborer5 i'll the factory
and mills were on the ground, besides
other citizens Goods were packed up
and moved from buildings supposed to
he in most danger, and a general con,
fagration seemed inevitable | have
seen fires sweep over the prairles with
the speed Of q locomotive, and the
prairie fire is grand and terrific but
beside u timber fire it sinks into insight
ficance
In proportion az the timber is densAr,
and heavier, and lOftier than the prairie
9ra3s, IS the timber fire intenser, hotter,
grander than the prairie fire. The fire
On the prairie before high wind will
rush on and lap up the light, dead grass,
and it is gone in breath. In the timber
the fire may move almost as rapidly, but
the fire does not 60 out with the advance
waves which sweep over the tops OF the
trees and catch the light limbs and foli-
age. Nor is there the same chance ia
resist th5 approach OF fire in the timber.
1t is as though you attempted to resist the
approach of an avalanche of fire hurled
against you.
With the gong down of the sun the
wind abated and with it the fire Tim
Der was telled and wet with water
thrown over it-buil6ings were covered
with wet blankets, and all under the
scorching heat, and in binding, sufo
eating smoke that was enough to strangle
one, and thus passed the night of Sun
day.
Monday the wind veered to the south
and cle@red away the smoke. Strange to
say, not a building WAS burned-tbe tom
ao0s sdoed. Monday the factory was shut