New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-10-24
IN WISCONSIN,.
PREPARATIONS AGAINST CONFEDERATION -AP-
PROACH OF THE FIRE-THE DEVAsTATioN.
IPYTRICT FROM A PRIVATE LETTER.

IN WlSCONOlN.
PREPARATIONS AGAINST CONFEDERATION -AP-
PROACH OF THE FIRE-THE DEVASTATION.
EXTRACT FROM PRIVATE LETTER.
OcoNro, Wis, Oct 13.-It is long since
have essayed to write to NewYork but must Of
course see by the papers that the West b In flames you
win be or less anxious to hear from the borned
district" You know about Chicago than We, 90 far
as reports go, will give you faint description OF
our own fres About the first Of July began TO build
shingie MILL about eight miles north OF our city, In an
unbroken forest Of very dense and heavy timber the
line Of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad (eIten-
sion north from Green Bay 10 Lake SUPERIOR At that
time began to fight fire with fire., for fires were rag
ing through the country. burned about 70 acres i'm
mediately adjacent to the place Of our buildings Tor To-
oatons) and supposed myse, all who saw our situa-
ton supposed also, that were safe against any fire
that might come upon While building, chopped
and burned the light stu from about four acres directly
about u.s. further safeguard. built mill a by IS
feet ground plan clearinghouse 10 by 80 feet with
q wing and cellar, and two stories high; and stock
barn for teams There well for the boarding
and one for the mill BY the way, we did not oontenn-
plate digging for water, neyerfang % stream ran
by US which Intended for supply but failed In our
atrineant tfeuth, more than two months snes S-' "
The fires have been, said, raging for months all
about the country and millions of dollars worth of prop
erty have been burned our city has been In imminent
danger for q month past, and the whole surrounding
country For two weeks did not come home,
but stayed at the mill would not trust our rsf TO
any hired Waterman I was my own freguard. On
Sunday night after dark all seemed as safe a. usual
At about O'Clock the wind began to blow from the
southwest as 1t has almost constantly for the last %
days and for q few minutes freshened to moderate
gale called our eamster to get out the oxen from the
barn. fire seemed to approach from that way, ana
got engineer to reup the boilers for steam 10 WORK
the pumps At the time no fire to fear was within three
Quarters of mile Of u.s. but the red flames In the sky
Tn foEVT min
broke into tornado, and the flames came rolling upon
U.S. This was sight grand but awful TO look
upon. The night was pitch dark though
clear; but so dense the smoke that darkness
seemed visible." On came the fame through the tall
and heavy timber, licking up the turf and leaves and
sweeping through and above the top OF the woodsone
urd sheet Of fire for feet, twice that distance
above the tops of the trees and bearing down everything
before It, In n few minutes We had up steam ana the
pony-p pump playing. Now commenced the pstue ior
life" Seven men and four small boys were 70 40 OF ole
for II the mill burned must also burn. When the
fire struck u.s. We for few moments at nrst supposed
that no human power could withstand It but by direct
ing the water partly the building and partly on our
selves we succeeded in holding ground against the
shock-each man, with pail in hand, except myself ana
the engineer; he attended the pumps ana the no'e'
In one minute than 80 places in the Duding Were
on fire and az promptly put out For time nylng turf
and leaves and all light stuff came In streams ana sneets
minutes, all was confusion worse COMPOUNDED Fire over
head fire under foot and FIRE all around! Large trees
began to tupple and upturn like large
pines breaking OF above ground and others torn io
the ground by the roots In the mean ume
the and house caught like straw ana nepeo 70 Ieeo
the flames and Oh went the mad storm OF nre 70 inc
north carrying everything before it. Necessarily 80
berce wind made short work Of all light stun ana the
navy fame passed on Now came the Dense biack sun
locating smoke and heat from the more sona me''er,
and the flying sparks and Goals nom umoer a""n shu
standing This was almost unbearaoe ana our aanker
attn Tightening for all possibility OF escape was cut en
we we're IN the midst of lake OF fire and OF thick SMOKE
30 We fought 1t out until O'clock when some men oame
70 ma from the south where they had lain In poWeo
6ed fat on their faces for Hours not being Poe 70 re-
spond to oar IRE whistle which was sounded 'he
we had enough steam. At q. M, my pnen "ero ~ ..
hausted and suocated by exerton ana moAe Ano he.t
that they lay down almost In the fire. saying tney could
do no mUre Scarcely man could open MS eyes, 'ney
being 90 badly smoked, and some sceroheo'
Now INV time came for few hours OF painful watcnne
All could not seep I was the only ono who vas In
terested beyond personal safety, ana the Ts'cn ' "a
me- L wac badly burned In the face ana eyes, anu
almost blind. kept ths pump running a9a pes 49,
the burning debris about the BUILDING ana inc spaIn
from burning treeA At considerable Distance nom inc
un ,Ub,ch vouId llebt and kindle in . moment 70 o
name This did until O'Clock In tho morning nv
that time couple OF the men relieved noe, when creps
alongside the boiler and dried myself nttie' o'os
at the time and for more than three houf' mao uoer
swelled and burned o. to mako seeing almost mpos'
and to open them 10 tho light was dreadfuny pHniu
At O'Clock everything safe as 1t hsd poem LOT
month After everything well wet down ana msae
secure selected 10 remnin and TOOK inc ios.
and started for homo. How the thing LOOKS w "'
| know, for have not been down since. a.,
An nround ma deysstaton and destruction are generA
To the south as far Green Bay city the whole
Ia one black mass but bsing burned BY degrees. ana
not in very heavy vtnds, not many lives have oeen loss
Aho to the west up the oeonO River v a. III ahcir
have been burned over and hundreds nave Ia lin ise
PROPERTY burned but nearly all have escspeu WIN o
not 30 70 the northwest and northeast o. a.
obstruction Of life ana propers osggA Ss,St n BASED
through woods about four mies where struck We AZ a..
I hahfxHtiOn When n CANA 10 a epoh hEb1A eAr