The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1871-10-28
MICHIGAN FIRE TORNADO,
DESTRUCTION OF PEsHTIG0, MAN
ISTEE AND WILLIAMSVILLE.
statements of Eye-wftnesses.
From Green Bay wis, Advocate. Oct. 1a.i
PESIITIGO.

DUf1nG the Qay (SaDDaJnt Ene Stlf
was filed with smoke which grew
more dense toward evening. and it was
noticed that the air, which was quite
chilly during the day, grew quits
warm, and hot puffs were frequent in
the evening,
About half past eight o'clock at
night we could see there was a heavy
fire to the southwest of the town, and
a dull roaring sound like that Of heavy
wind came up from that quarter.
At nine O'Clock the wind was blow
ing very. brisk, and by half past nine
a perfect gale. The roar of the ap-
preaching tornado grew more terrible
at ten. When the fire struck the town
it seemed to swallow up and literally
drown everything. The fire came on
swifter than a raee-horse, and within
twenty minutes of the time it struck
the outskirts of the town, everything
was in flames.
What followed beggars all descrip-
ton. About the time the fire reached
the Peshtigo House, ran out 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 Yace several times on going to
the river, Then came fierce, deyour-
ing, pitilcss rain OF fire and sand, SO
hot as to ignite everything it touched.
| ran into the water, prostrated my
self, and put my face into the water,
and threw wa~er over my back and
head The heat was so intense that
! could not keep my head out of the
water for but few seconds at a time,
for the space of nearly an hour. Saw
logs in the rlvel caught fire and burn
e0 in the water. A COW came to me,
and rubbed her neck against me, and
lowed laost piteously. | heard men,
women and children crying for help,
but was utterly powerless to assist any
one. What was my experience was
the experience of others.
Within Ihree hours of the time the
fire struck the town, the site OF Pesh-
tigo was lite ally a sand desert dotted
over with smoking ruins. Not Il hem
coop or even q dry goods box was left.
Through the sugar bush the case
seems to be even worse than III the
town, as the chances for escape were
much less than neai the river. I es-
innate the loss of life to be ut least
three hundred, in the Gown and sugar
bush. Great numbers were drowned
in the river. Cattle and horses We're
burned in the streets.
The Peshtigo Company's barn burn
ed with over fifty horses in tue stable
A great many women and children
and men were burned in the streets
and at places so far from anything
combustible that it would seem i'm
possible they should be harmed they
were burned to crisp. Whole faM-
lilies, children, mothers, fathers, sisters
and brothers were burned, and rem
nants of families were running hither
and thither, wil9l.yT looking for their
relatives after the fire.
THE BURNING OF MANISTEE.
The wind blew heavy gale ON Sun
day from the South, and the fire that
had been burning in the woods for
several days burned up freshly and
spread with great rapidity. The fire
company was out all day with the en-
CINE near Clifford and Ruddock's mill,
and succeeded in checking the flames.
In the evening "A fire sprung up near
Canfield's mill, and the fire company
promptly repaired to scene of action,
but the wind blew the smoke and sand
at such a fearful rate that they were
almost blinded, and could not check
the headway of the flames. About 10
o'clock the engine gave out, and dur
ing the balance OF the scene was pow
erless to assist. In short time the
mill and about twenty small dwellings,
the boarding house, light house, piers,
lumber piles and Mr.. Horizons house
were in flames. Tyson and Robinson's
three barges, and the tug Bismarck
were in stream between the fires, but
escaped by almost a miracle. A scow
loaded with slabs and a spile driver
were cut loose and fioated down the
river.
The spile driver was on fire, and it
was feared that it would set other
vessels on fire, but fortunately it did
no harm. The barge Frankfort, and
several other vessels were near the
mill, but went up the river to place
of safety. While this was calling the
attention of the citizens, light was
seen rejecting on the sky in the rear
of the city, near Maple street. In an
exceedingly short time number of
buildings were in flames and rapidly
spreading while we were powerless
to arrest them. Everything was dry
and the wind blew a hurricane, and
everything was swept clean, not a
vestige of eonsumable matter being
left.
The districts burned over were :
First about 90 acres west ofand includ-
ing Canfeld's mill.
Second, a strip commencing on Ma
pie streets from j. G. Ramsdells re-
sidenee, and widening as it advanced,
and when it reached the river it ex-
tended from Oak street (Buckley's
STOREY to Tyson 81 Robinson's little