Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1871-11-03

- Avu8SA ouu 1hnfRcS stEuHBSG kn6I
Chicago has ever known, IL befor
her. Lei Us not falter In our broth
erly selfsacrifics.
| The world seems healthier. Hu
manity seems better. The fntur
has more Of hope 10 Ii. Christianity
is indeed leavening all. The grsa
disastsr has shown 1t. Men are com
ing to be brothere. g
Phenomena and Incidents .ef IN
Northern Fire. s.
From the Green Bsy Advocate.
There axo 1Oxns phases Of the gpoo|
calamity which fell upon this region
last week, worthy or scientific invee
tigation. The testIfnony OF the cooler
headed survivors Of the flresst Pesh,
tigo, the Sugar Bush. and William.
sonville, are united M to one pho.
nomena: They say that the fire did
not come upon them gradually from
burning trees and other objects 30 the
windward, 4but the flrst notice they
had Of IL was a whirlwind of flame,
fn great clouds, from above the tom
OF the trees, which fell upon and eil.
veloped everyroing. The atmosphere
seemed one Of fire. The poor people
inhaled Il, or the intensely hot air,
and fell down dead. This fs verified
by the appearance OF many or the
corpses. They were found dead In
the roads and open spaces. where
there were no Visible marka Of fire
near by, with not q trace OF burning
upon their bodies or clothing, Aj
the Sugar Bush, which In an extend.
ed clearing. In some places four miles
IN width, corpses were found In the
were only sllghtiy burned. No mark
OF hre was upon them, but they laid
there as II asleep. This phenomens
seems to explain the fact that &C
many were killed In compact masses.
They seem to have hnddled together
10 what were evidently regarded al
the moment % the safest places,
away from buildings, trees or other
infismmabIe material, and there to
have died together. Fences around
cleared fields were burned In spots OF
only q few rods In length, and else.
where not touched. Fish were killed
In the streams--as at Peshtigo.
We hear the universal testimony
that the prevailing idea among the
terror stricken people Of those places
was that the Last Day had come
They needed not 10 be terror stricken
for such imaginings. What other
explanation could be given to that
imminent time, when there was an
ominous warning and sound coming
from the distance, when the sky, &C
dark just before, burnt into Rreal
clouds OF 6re, the beasts OF the forest
came running for succor into the
midst OF the settlements, and q great,
red, consuming, soaring hell or fire
fell upon all around. The dreadful
scene lacked nothing but the sound-
Ing OF the last trump-and indeed
the approach Of the awful roariue
and the premonitions from the dis
tauce supplied even that 90 the ap-
palled imaginings Of the people.
The Epsy theory, we think II ID.
that continued and widespread fires
VIII bring on rain, seems 70 be en-
tirely exploded In this instance. =.
These fires had lasted nearly or quite
four weeks, ravaging forests over q
great area, and still not q drop. oil
rain. The rain only came with I
change OF wind 30. the northward
and several days after the worst
burnings were over with. at
A survivor makes the following
statement: Ctd riaH4 ta =
To q person, not In the Gre 10 seems
Incredible that 30 many should hsve
perished In the flames. To me, and
l presume 10 most Of those who
were In the fire, it seems d miracle
that 30 many were saved. liz you
suppose the worst snow-eform You
ever witnessed, and each snow. fake
q coal or spark Of fire driven before q
fierce wind, you have some idea OF
the state OF the atmosphere at the
time the fire struck the town. We
all know how little presence Of mind
many people have In times OF great
exoltsInent, and few persons know
just what 30 do when death, In its
most appalling form, stares them In
the face. Of one thing, however
you may be sure, all, under such CIR.
cumstsnces, do the best they are CO.
pable Of doing. There were deeds o,
AtSsSsosAAt sAos tcokinA 1fBue An VSu'
tIgo. that are worthy . place ty The
side Of the brightest and NOT Iesi
acts Of history. Many Lost their
lives In attempting to awe the life ol
others, Many have been found
clasping some darling object Of alyec.
ti0n In their arms, % In The "a 0i
shielding them from the nre. Moth
ere we're dreadfully burned but saved
their children. Husbands and faith.
ers were burned but saved their fam.
lies. One was dresdfully burned In
attempting 10 save his wife and two
children, but they were turned. "A
young lady ran for the river with r
child Ia her arms; bat overcome By
the hest and fright, tainted and va
dragged 10 the water by same one
and saved. In the morning shs
learned that her sister was burned. -
One old man. was found 20 burned
In the side that HE entrails hung out
His hands and face were horribly
burned, and he begged pitsously fol
some one 70 kill him and put an end
to his misery.
Extent ef ths Michigan Fires-
The counties Of Huron and sAni.
lac. Mich, which constitute th.
PRINCIPAL scene Of the 0re. contsir