Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-10-20
THE PEsHrIGO CALAMITY.

A correspondent of the Cleveland Her.
aid gives a graphic account of the sud
den ard total destruction by tornado and
by fire which came upon the village OF
Peshtigo, Wisconsin, on the ever mem.
orable Sunday night of Oct. 9Th. After
describing the place as nice little town
OF two thousand inhabitants, with sash,
door and blind factory. foundry, a
factory for making pals, tubs, &C., and
good stores. churches, hotels, etc., the
writer says the neighboring pine wcods
had been on fire for ten days, which the
people had been vigorously fighting, ard
then continues as follows: -.,.,
On Sunday night theK were awakened
from this feeling OF security by
noise like distant thunder, which Increased
In volume until the crash Of falling trees and
the roar OF the wind and FIRE could be plainly
heard. Soon after tornado burst upon the
town, unroodng number Of buildings, and
quickly followed by q solid sheet of fame,
extending the whole length Of the village
and far beyond each way. In an instant the
whole exposed side ofthep place wes In flames.
Meu, women and children rushed into the
street apd. aQIJQnndea> vs,2set.v4eu SIl
burned to death. In the less exposed
portions the people fed to the river, ard,
jumping In many were drowned. Some
saved their lives by keeping their bodies
under water and once ia while putting
their heads under as the heat became Insult
fersble. Others took refuge In wells and
cisterrs and were saved. Quite largo por-
ton of the Inhabitants ran TO a field to the
leeward of the fire, and by lying on the
ground were saved, although some OF them
were badly burned. Thele Is but one house
! left standing, and that is isolated and lately
! built lumber.
! The destruction has been so complete that
| the streets cannot be traced, all being Gov
cred witt sand which was swept In great
clouds by the tornado. In serne instances
bodies have been found completely covered
with sand. t...r.H ..
/ could flll columns with heartrendine In
cidcnts OF this conHseratioD, but will only
give few as illustrative OF the rest. In one
| instancea q man took bis family and fed to the
bridge spanning the river. Tho brioge was
soon on nre and the poor unfortunate family
rwere nearly roasted alive and then jumped
into the river and were drowned.--A woman
on seeing the fire approaching put her little
girl, a child OF six years, in well which
was nearly dry, and ran to the river herself
ltor security. The woman was saved, and !,
as soon as she could, found out the locality.
ard her Joy was so great at finding the.littlc
one alive and we'll that she swooned, and on
recovering casped her child in her arms and
ran OFF crying for Joy.
Too few, alas, were so fortunate. In
many cases whole families have perished. In
other eases men have lost their families, they
being, at the time Of the Ilre, working 10
save the factories. In other instances men
perished In their endeavor to save their
families. In one case TO which my atten-
tion was called, a little boy Of seven years Is
the only surviving member of numerous
family. ..-i-i4
AS soeu as the fire had sufficiently subsid-
ed, all that were able went to the relief Of the
sufferers. Blackcned, charred corpses were
lying in every direction, with their clothing,
as general tning, nearly or quito burned OF.
Many dead bodies were found In the RIVER
aud many moro have since beec recovered,
a number have died from their bruises,
while others arecrlppled or ieariully disfg'
ured. .a !|
The loss 10 the Peshtigo Company, who
owned the factories and most of the town,
besides large pine lands, is estimated at three
million dollars, besides the loss OF their tx
tensive warehouses in Chicago.
|, Mennekaunee, town OF seven or eight
hundred inhabitants, is all destroyed but
three houses. Fortunately no lives were lost
there. ''-'''
Marlnette is also nearly all destroyed.
Business In this section Is partially suS
pended. All the saw mills and factories nj
Oshkosh, Fon du Lac, and other neignborinp
towns are stopped by an order Of the author
itieS, 4.fst-ig