New-York tribune., 1871-11-06
THE PENINSULA FIRES.
-, ,,rroNA1JTIEs OF THE surFERERs.

OF LIPE-A VISION OF SUDDEN DEATH
,eRoN THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF ThB TRIBUNE
RR1-ssEIs, Wis, Oct. 27-l have told you OF d
.t Of the drama enacted at PeshteEO. and along lno
P,rp shore But when the fire fell upon the unhappy
1oDle Of Rosiere who had long been in bed recAeS y
thA lurkpg fires which, outlined by the tnky nlgh~ no
a. air with lurid threatening Wholesale death ePL
.Dented the work Of destruction. GOVERNS ,,,r
track Of clearing the settlement ranged 81. I.,
.vaY mile or moro Of cleared and woooou eUU .~o.
~. 49, s+,ck yrers pohemsus and they are senpoS
- ~ ,.atd ,aoDns NOT easlIy dismayed. The snlaO
eating breath OF the tornado warned 'ne, , ts,oad
ii struggle was now an extreme oi'' W - ortslr bur
al property as the stake. The women " - oyor
n.d into wells and cellars and wet oanAe A. at
,,o.a WIN had To seek shelter in the cleni"s 80
0~O'o 49,, w -, ,hrnaertpR like immeasurahle cat
80 o,,ono tho treetops, and only now "nu uoH
-, do,vn admitted Of something IKE ueleu'o
ut IN momeut a great glare over .I. D..
si,c evcrvthinc from the tDprisoned "EoU0Hoo' ,,
tlv hail OF ire mingled win eIee I.a -
80 the sr1errrs and the ground IN IN instant was
n'"e 20 - aod The rain, for 1t was literal rain'
'"'ieu W" ~ ,ncesssnt stream Of hot, ecorching hame
a ,,ors that cut like burning sano' ana huInan
,,h.rad Ike snow before the Nrrlnc nOOO' 1hele
Srrness now those who had eyes to see could
trs,e the feryid air only step at time Win iace
.Ick smothered in wetted blankets In this way anew
- Ids really did escape others made for the woods
h-s tor the wells and between these divergent places
refuge many--to their own tnexpressble ama&ement-
ERE saved. There were those who, Eneemg oevouiS'
MT death with q superstiuOus forttude There were
,rs In whose dead hands the ignoble savings OF past
,rs,mouy fingered Women, conscious Of tho terrible
saneer. actually took time to snatch gew-Eaws which
IRE sftervard found in their pockets. The dead fell IN
group the wounded, painfully crawling on hands ana
Ipees. with faces pressed into the ground-came upon
s,r dead ncghbors and with roasting flesh and naked
o5cs finally dragged their forms into the unutteTaDle
,l,ef Of temporary and timely oblivion
ttor the fire fell from tree-tops all attempt at bat
ng escape was fruiss those only survived who hed
,r enough when tue first shafts Of fame penetrated
he clearing wherever the hurricane dRred its nery
reat the air was transformed into electric current
If fcrytd heat In the whole cOnhARrstion, covering
hundreds Of miles, that marvellous thing was noticed
There seemed no beginning the hames the house you
had fast stepped FROM turning 10 look you would find
.u.a.s Of fire. q G7ound-swen Of fame poured itself
Along the cleared bare ground. The impregnated air
psved in currents and COUntercurrents with incredible
force and velocity. One blast in the face stunned man
INTO almost instant death. There were those who, en-
eounterng less severe blasts where the timber partially
broke their Roadway. lived long enough to explain the
singular experience; but none Of them can survive.
When the dun light OF morning came "A bodies lay
wihercd aud brcathess among their ruined homes.
double daikn seemed TO with day. during the
night rarihcd atmosphere covered the cearings ten
fod brighter and radiant than day; and the yell
low sunlight, breaking through clouds and blackened
Jranches intensified the feeble contrast The marks OF
.he FIRE varied singularly; In some cases the victims
were found with patches Of flesh stripped of to the bone
in others unearthly palor had followed the hery
breath though the blood had dried up in the fierce
heat and the cutice beached to eperke transparent
parchment. In other faces the glaring eyes and In
famed checks seemed to have reflected the colornR OF
the tempest Even the wells did not guarantee protec-
ton the flames shot down in slender darts and literally
sIAcd the huddled Hollow and housetop were
alike to the whirng hurricane, and life was secure only
by an accident. Some OF the copses were headess the
light hair catching the swaying currents, woudburn TO
the scalp, and stop till the neck was eaten away
some lay with the limbs eaten TO the untouched bodies,
hideOus trunks naked and scorched beyond recognition
Others lay unscaTred smiling, with geneeyes upturned
TO the lowering heavens while Others again. with dread
fulyburned and legs thrust their parched mouths
deep into the sand and smothered in the raging sea OF
frc.
Most OF the dead as Ear up as Brussels were grown
people, generally men. Some women and children were
so recognized but there are probably 100 that never
m be accounted for The good priest spared 10 his
ilcted people and, on the morning when every house
IN the settlement lay ashes he to minister to the
living and prepare the dead for Christian sepulture.
Continually immersed in their own pursuits, and NOR
bidy clannsh, these Bohemlans, Eorwegians, and
Belgians know little Of the language Of the land;
and when they gathered teaIessy about their ruined
homes they had idea Of how they were to still con-
tnue the struggle for life. That weary day, with the
stark forms Of their dead stretched among the ashes OF
The remnant Of their hamlet, they hovered about the
disastrous place. The calamity had been 30 widespread
a. necbbors had no time for the idle show Of grief
but as the day the sharp ring OF axes in the
woods was heard clearing way, and In time the fam
khed horde, who had passed the day In hunger found
that abundant sympathy and assistance were ready TO
shower upon them. 1t is said that they shook their
heads Ill dazed increduhty when the actual prof
fer was made known, and that in time hope came
70 tighten the burden Of their grief and set them on the
way 10 rehabtate their homes and acres. There has
been and il now little time for mourning or funeral
demonstrations in these ruined townships scarcely any
family has escaped intact the dead placed quietly
away and the sad business Of life comes on with the
ZANE hustle and turmoil before. Not however, 1t
must be- with the same parsmOny and selfseekng; for
the gracious deeds that have been done this people must
open their hearts to nOber life than is filed by hoard
Ing and toll Tic bencdccut charity freely and cor
daily showered should bless those who receive as well
~ those who give
There came one after the ROsicre fire, who found time
70 mourn tie dead. brave and hearty Norwegian
woman came the cars 10 Green Bay, Monday, and
confidently placing the address Of her husband IN c
Iens hand, explained wen as she could that abe
wanted 10 be directed TO the place. The name written
on the slip had appeared among the list burned TO death
at ROsere. By the aid Of cOuntryman the dreadful
truth told the poor wife but she shook her head In
bitter lncrcduy, showing letter Of recent date from
the dead husband. The fact Of her widowhoOd was
nnaly credited, but she wonld 90 and for herself
even his ashes she said tearessy, would be known to
her. But those ashes mingled with many more and
covered in rough pine box the house he had pre-
pared for his expected Norway BRIDE
Up TO the northward the flaming torrent poured, in
gulfng the entire township Of Brussels with Gardner
Union Forestvle Clay Bank, Red River, Casco. and
Easevaupee beside threatening all the shore towns ap
prOAchabe by woods In this midpeninsula the awful
wreck Of forest timber described at Little Sturgeon did
not enter largely into the whirlwDds depredatons.
In this thicky peopled country there higher metal
The lffe