Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1871-10-20
THEHOLOCAUS7 OFFIRE.
Peshtigo and WilliamsonHille.
Towns Utterly Destroyed.
Hundreds Roasted in the Flames,

The Green Bay ADVOCATE publishes the
following statement of G. j. TIsDALE, in
regard to the destruction of Peshtigo:
During the Sabbath Ohe 8th inst.) the
air was filed with smoke, which grew
dense toward evening, and it was noticed
that the air, which was quite chilly dur
Ing the day, grew quite warm, o I'd hot
puts were quite frequent in the evening.
About half past eight o'clock at night we
could see there was heavy fire to the
southwest of the town, and dull roaring
sound like that of heavy wind came
from that quarter. At 9 o'clock the wind
was blowing fresh, and by half past nine
perfect gale. The roar of the approach.
ing tornado grew more terrible at ten.
When the fire struck the town it seemed
to swallow up and literally drown every
thing. The Fl came on Swifter than a
race-horse, and within twenty minutes Of
the time it struck the outskirts of the
town everything was in flames.
"What follows beggars all description.
About the time the fire reached the Pesh-
tigo House, / ran cut at the east door,
and, as stepped ON the platform, the wind
caught me and hurled me some distance
on to my head and shoulders and blew me
on to my face several times in going to
to the river. Then came fiecre, devour-
ing, pitiless rain of fire and sand, so hot
as to ignite everything it touched. ]
ran into the water, Frustrated myself, and
put my face in the water, and threw water
over my back and head. The heat was
intense that could keep my head out Of
water but a few seconds at time, for the
space of nearly an hour. Sawlogs in the
river caught fire and burned. A COW
came to me, and rubbed her neck against,
me and bawled piteously. heard men
women and children crying for ..help, but
was utterly powerless to help any one.
IL estimate the loss of life TO be at least
300, in the town and Sugar Bush. Great
numbers were drowned in the river. Cat
tie and horses W +, burned in the stalls.
The Peshtigo Company harm burned with
over fifty horses in the stable. A great
many women an children and men were
burned in the streets, and in places so far
from anything combustible that it would
seem Impossible they should burn; they
were burned to crisp. Whole families,
heads of families, children, mothers, faith
ers. brothers and sisters were burned, and
remnants Of famil es were running hither
and thither, wildly calling and looking for
their relatives after the fire.
Charles WOODY ard, who kept the Pesh-
tigo House, estim ties the loss of life at
nearly 400. The loss in the Sugar Bush
was much worse than in the village. They
had no means of escape, while at the will
age the people saved themselves in the riv-
er. The Sugar Bush was thrifty farm
ing settlement seven or eight miles long
by four or five miles wide, and contained
about 300 families. 1t was estimated by
competent judges on Tuesday that eight
tenths of its inhabitants were dead. But
ahou. eight buildings were left.
What was my experience was the expert
ence of Others .
"Within three lolrs Of the time the fire
struck the town, the site of Peshtigo vas
literally sand desert, dotted over with
smoking ruins. Not hen-coop, or even
dry goods box was left. Through the
Sugar Bush the clse seems even worse
than in the town, as the chances
Of escape were much less than near the
river. l .- -. rg.1 ..,.- a1l