The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-10-19

d PERfECk fURNADU pf FIRE
DREADFUL LOSS 0F LIFE
1900 PEOPLE PERISH
CHICAGO, October 16.-The iatesi
reports from the recent terrible fires
in Northern Wisconsin and Michigan
represent the loss of life as being
fearful. Some 700 to 800 dead bodies
had already been recovered, and it il
believed that the number VIII reach
full 1000, and the wounded full 200
This comprises full three-quarters OF
the population sa sag{. o. 5sssss
MILWAUKEE, October l5.-+Later &C,
counts from Northern Wisconsin con-
firm all previous reports and ramors.
The loss of life in the neighborhood
of the burned village of Peshtigo will
reach over l3200. Fifteen per cent OF
those injured cannot recover. The fire
and tornado were heard at a distance
like the roaring of the sea. Balls ol
fire were soon observed to fall like
mete0rs in, different parts of the town,
igniting whatever they touched. Peo-
pie rushed, with their children in their
arms, for q, place of safety; bat the
storm of fire was upon them, and en-
yeloped them in flame, smoke, and
burning coal and cinders, and those
unable to reach the river were suffO-
Gated and roasted alive. This terrible
scene happened on Sunday night, the
6th of October, already made famous
by the Chicago horror. rfia9 ea =
A member of the Relief Committee
sent from Milwaukee with supplies
says the only survivors are those who
were fortunate enough to reach the
water, many throwing themselves into
millponds. and clinging TO floating
logs. A number ef, these were drown
ed by being thrownfromf the logs by
.maddened horses and cattle that rush
ed into the water. The fiery cyclone
swept over tract ofscountry eight or
ten, miles wide Every. building, fence,
and all the, lumber, were licked up
clean by the tongue of fire. The town
of Peshtigo numbered 1000, one-third
of whom perished in that fearful night.
Reports from the East Shore of Green
Bay place, the loss of life. full as high
as at PeshtigO. n The same account
states that the Immediate wants of the
people are supplied, but large amounts
of provisions and clothing will be re-
quired for the coming winter. s2ai
e97azz sragevyo.f T f5sya-5fssi4 Z
The Terrible Destruction in Michigan.
G. Fl. Gallup, Esq, prominent at
torney Of Port Austin, who has been
sent out to solicit aid for the, people
who have been 50 scruellyz afflicted,
furnishes the Cleveland Plain Dealer
with q statementof the destruction by
fire on the Eastern shore Of Michigan
bordering on Lake Huron, from Point
an lBarques down to Sanilas County,
one of the many districts in the great
North West that have been devastated
by fire, We copy from the statement
the following :C1S '1sia! i1a9u
Beginning below Port Austin, HUI
of three hundred inhabitants, is half
destroyed; !; then follow, New River,
three buildings burned; Huron City,
five hundred inhabitants, totally de-
stroyed Port Hope, six hundred in
'habitants, half gone Forest Bay, two
hundred inhabitants, every house gone
Sandbeach, four hundred Inhabitants,
all destroyed; - Centre Harbor, one
hundred and fifty inhabitants, every
thing gone Rock Falls, three hundred
inhabitants, half of the town burned !;
Elm Creek, one hundred and fifty in
totally destroyed; White
Rock, six hundred Inhabitants, every
house consumed : Verona Mills. three
hundred inhabitants, every house in
the place gone except the minister's
Thus were the little villages of this
region scourged.i The destruction in
the country was proportionately great,
the farming townships of Sheridan,
Bingham, Paris, Verona, Sherman and
Sandbeach, being traversed by the
flames, which Tapped up everything
in the shape of houses, barns, fences,
stock, farming implements, sc. Z
MFR! Gallup says that three thousand
people, at a. low estimate, have been
strippednof every species of worldly
possession, except the clothes upon
their backs; in many instanceswomen
escaped with nothing but their night
clothessl In some of the shore towns,
in the1 low err part of Huron county,
hundreds ofjpersons only saved their
lives by rushing into the lake. and
standing in the water. ten or twelve
hours at a time, while the flames on
the shore devoured everything Before
their eyes,inithe W orId that they could
call their own IL Dead bodies are be-:
ing constantly found, all through the
farming country the total number
collected owhen Mr.. Gallup left was
about fifty. Families have been found
dead in9their fafmo wagons, with the
dead bodies of the horses, lying inthe
harness-Aoyertaken by the fire, in the
very act ofotrying to escape their aw-i
full doom. -s7siegloH Do4SbH5T Hoft
,afTe-f e{1 mort 5i-teao-fG sffssss II 2