The New York herald., 1871-10-14
THE FIRES in MICHIGAN.
Sufferings Among the Settlers
sl ON Lake Huron.
Several Villages Entirely De-
stroyed.
Story Of q Victim-Fleeing for
g8 Life. sas,rf.s
rFrom the Detroit Post, oct. 12.l


i 4aaa4i aaA Nau nstt,t
(From the Detroit Post, Oct. 12.l
Correspondence from the upper counties shows
that the danger from the Ores is not great as 1t
was few days ago, and that the shower Of Tuesday
considerably checked the progress Of the flames.
The propeller Mohawk, just arrived from Lake
Huron, reports that the "
MANITOU ISLANDS
were on fire when she passed them on Sunday, and
the loss OF standing timber must have been large.
The news from the .tH E A9
SHORE OF LAKE HURON
has not quite black look at the time our yes.
terday's paper was put to press, although there Is
still enough In that section to call for the llveest
sympathy, and to appeal effectively for aid.
raaat5H VILLAGES DESTROYED.
other news from this coast confirms the stories
given yesterday OF the losses and sufrerings OF the
inhabitants, which have heen terrible in the ex.
,reme. Several villages have been utter
against their safety. OF Forrestville nothing .was
aud part OF pier are ali that are lett Of White Rock.
Sand Beach Is reported DESTROYED. II this true It
Fails, Port Hope, Huron City. Port Austin anu other
seleSrapn is not in operation ABOVE RicSnondviiic
nothing definite III this respect can be ascertaned.
on the shore were, from all accounts, very great
Many mad their hands blistered. and only saved
IN Tso weis
carried TO Port Huron were suffering from nre blind
Sss Ssss IS IS soS S of mss assn wSo
SSn With % mosr Sm $ ts Mss
AS they passed along the road the the neat was SO
great thar Se and nnes .se Sssred sas and the
sure. At one point lney saw woman lying by the
roadside, but whether dead or Only lnsenspio they
rapidly as possible, thinking this the only posi-.
bic way OF saving their own lives. l.
At Rock Falls 1t Is SAID that the fire came in at tie
EIGHT MILES AN HOUR,
ana people from the surrounding region drove In &C
Of it.
TWO or three OF the towns were invaded by the
fre at midnight, and people were aroused from
their slumbers only just In time to rush into the
for decent protection, while CATTLE horses, sheep,
hogs, and even chickens ran into the water to keep
tnemcompany' srony or v,crrr
Mr.: lHenry Schtig. his wife and TWO children,
the elder not more than two years OF age arrived
from Forrestyille in entirely destltute circum-
stances, having lost everything by the fire.
vile. Flres had been raging around him for some
time. He had prayed earnestly for rain, which
already ali far ADVANCED and % save W hi him % from the Inc
danger which had threatened him nearly ali summer
on Sunday last the wind blew strongly, and &C
-''I-F PERFECT TORNADO.
About one O'Clock on Sunday morning he was
volume OF smoke which came pouring into his
dwelling. Sprngtng from his bed he discovered that
inss were already burning. Hastily seizng his
young children, and, ar0using his wife, they maze
their escape into the open ar They were not there
moment too quick, for no sooner had they left the
house than It was on fire. and In few moments
more they must inevitably have perisnod In 1t. TO
their ordinary clothing except the scanty portion
which they had hastily thrown on after getting Que
OF bed, was Impossible. Their only salvation was
o. RUN roa THEIR LIVES.
The names were all about them on every side,
ana, tmpclled by the fury OF the tornado they
bustibIe in their course MI. schs saw 6ls dwell we'll
the accumulations Of years Of hard toll wrapped IN
IRE.
nj. s yy SHy Sss %s s q s. g s as % ass as os that ss
miles away. In that desperate strait, and doubt |
fui Of ever e.. reaching place OF safety, he
smoke. The heavens were 1urid with name and |
the smoke was binding and stIfling. The road for
and these were all on fre.. The underbrush and |
leaves on the ground were all aame, and the burn
Oiren these obsiructed his way, and he was Obliged
10 make circuits about them, literally walking |
through 1re, or to climb over the living cmOers.
.T0 A PEARPUL JOURNEY,
and one can readily conceive that such II was.
HIS experience was doubtless only one OF many.
and there Is no question tiat his WAS an excep-
ton. in that It was successfully made. Hundreds
Of families have perished on such Journeys. He
says that sometimes 10 seemed as though his
strength would lail. BUT his wife kept up good |
courage, and ne was nerved by the thought OF
his helpless little ones which he carried In his
arms. II he had nad time 10 get his team and
wagon they would have been useless, IS the ROAD
Was made impossible BY fallen trees.
TfE LONG, LONG NIGHT
1t length wore slowly away, and just at daylight he
arrived at Forrcstv Tile, only TO find the towh already
and the Inhabitants huddied IN dismay
lp0n the sn0ro OF the lake. Fortunately the
steamer Huron was soon at hand, and by ner they
we're taken on and brought 10 Port Huron,
where they were furnished with clothing.
t PROM PORT HURON.
letter containing the following was sent by our
Port Huron correspondent yesterday afternoon:-
up to this time no particulars have been received
rom the lake shore later than those published in
he Post OF to-day. We are waiting with the greatest
anxiety to hear the fate Of the sufferers who LEFT IN
ne small boats and scOws Monday AFTERNOON and |
tuesday morning. In order 70 escape the hames from
lie burning woods, and also from those left on
he shore with no means OF conveyance whatever. |
several hundred persons must be out OF homes and
Without food or shelter, and We fear that many Inv.
nc back from the shore, who were surrounded on
III sides by nfe have been destroyed. Those who
amo down yesterday predict fearful results, and
nose having friends In that region ere ustng every
neans In ueL Enfollluonc0 from abOve. AlAova |