Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-10-27


alarm sounded at about A. NJ, and the
Fire Department hastened with .he
steamer TO the vicinity OF Clifford 81 Rud-
decks mills IN the Fourth Ward, where
an old chopping was burning furiously,
and threatening destruction to that part
OF town. By the most unwearied efforts,
continued all day, the fire was subdued,
and that part of the town was saved.
About dark the engine returned TO its
quarters. It was scarcely housed when
the wind, which had been blowing heavy
all day, rose TO perfect gale.
At about p. NJ, while the fire in the
Fourth Ward was blrning, an alarm
whistle was heard from the east side of
Manistee Lake, and through the thick
smoke 1t was discovered that the large
steam mill of Magill & Canfied, on
Blackbird Island, was in flames. In an
incredibly short space OF time, mill, ],
boarding-house, stables, shops, dicks
and lumDer were consumed.
AS soon as darkness began to close in.
lurid light appeared in the southwest
on the shore OF Lake Michigan, showing
the pine woods that line the shore were
on fire. About 0:30 p. NJ, just as the
people were returning from evening
services, the fire alarm again sounded,
and every one now was on the alert, foT
the wind was blowing a fierce gale.
Instantly red angry glare lighted up
the western sky near the mouth OF the
river. The fire department rushed to
the rescue. At the mouth were located
the large mill and interests OF John
Garfield, with boarding-hou9e and
about twenty-five or thirty dwellings.
On the beach several acres
were covered with pine sswdust, highly
infsmmable. Along the river near the
piers were piled several hundred cords OF
dry pine slabs (fuel for tugs.) Down
from the circling hills ON the lake
shore pounced the devouriDg monster.
the burning sawdust, whirled by the
gale in fiery clouds, filed the air. Hun
dreds of cords of dry ,pitchy slabs sent
up great columns of red fame, that
swayed in the air like mighty banners of
fire swept across the AIanistee, 200
feet wide, and almost Instantly, like great
fiery tongues, licked up the Government
| lighthouse, built at a cost OF nearly $10,-
600, and situated 150 feet from the north
bank of the river.
A large feet of vessels, wind bound,
lay opposite Canfield's mill, with four
tugs, including the three large barges OF
Tyson & Robinson and the great steam
tug Bismarck. Now commenced turi.
Gus effort to remove the vessels and
bsrges. The wild putting and screaming
of tugs, the hoarse hallooingi OF sailors,
the loud roaring and cracking of the
gathered multitude, luridly lighted made
quately described. The efforts of the
tiremen were in vain-the engine be
came disabled, and the flames came
sweeping all before them. But now
NEW SOURCE OF TERROR
arose. A bright light came up cut OF
the south directly in the rear OF the town,
and the fierce gale bearing it on directly
toward the doomed city. Those who
resided In that part Of the town rushed
to the new scene OF darg ger, the full ex-
tent of which few c0mprebended. The
fire had originated two miles south of the
city, on the lake shore. 1t first came
upon the farm of l. G.. Smith, Esq, :,
which it devoured. Eighty rods north
the extensive iarm and dairy of L. w.
Secor shared the same fate, with all his
barns and forage. Another quarter of s
mile and the large farm buildings OF
Mayor Peters were quickly annihilated.
Here the column of fire di-
vided, the lett hand branch keeping to
the lake shore hills, and coming in at
the mouth; the other taking a north
easterly course and coming in directly
south of the town, as before described.
Here q small band of determined men,
| fighting with the energy Of despair TO
protect their homes, kept it at bay TIL
past midnight. But all was vain-at
half.past twelve O'Clock the gale became
a tornado, hurting great clouds OF sparks,
cinders, burning bark and rotten wood
through the air in
ATERRIRIC FIERY STORM.
Every man now fed to his own house.
The fire now came roaring on through
the dead hemlocks, south of the blocks
included between Maple and Oak streets
in the Second Ward. The flames leaped
to the SUBMITS of the great hemlocks,
seventy or eighty feet high, and threw
out great flags of fire against the lurid
heavens. The scene was grandly terrible
beyond description. To, us, whose
homes and dear ones and all were in the
track of fiie, it was heart rendiDg. Then
came t .t,.
DELUGE OF FIRE,
like that which rained on the cities of
the Plains. The wooden town, the saw
dust streets, the stumpy vacant lots, the
pile clad hills north OF the river, all burst
into q sea of flame, made furious by the
most fearful gale of wind / have ever
experienced. On, toward the river and
the Manistee lake, spread the tempest of
fire. Men, women, md children, in
night clothes, half clothed or fully
clothed-some bareheaded, ON foot, in
wagons, on horseback, all fled for their
lives. 1t was pandemonium on earth.
Families were separated-husbands
and wives, parents and children.
The writer, when he gave over
the unequal contest south OF the
town, rushed to his residence to find il
destroyed, and for nine hours he could
get no word whether his family were
dead or alive. They bad fled before the
tempest of fire across the bridge, which
burned behind them, only TO be sur.
rounded and almost to perish in the
smoke and fire on the north side. Every
thing went down before the storm-dweI
lings with their home treasures, mill.
with their machinery, stores and theil
stocks, warehouses and their contents
the fine swing bridge at the foot OF Ma
pie street, vessels and their cargoes, al
mipgling in common ruin.
From Fifth street, halt a mile south
of the river, to Cushman & Calkini
mill, half mile porth of the bridge, anc
from the foot or Oak street eastward tC
Tyson g. Robinson's mill at the outlet o
Manistee lake, three-fourths OF mile
was one surging sea OF fire. The steam
fire engine burnt in the street where i
stood, the men and hoIs ses bIrely es
Gaping with their lives. About thret
O'Clock the wind abated, but the worl
OF ruin was complete. When Monday
mornings sun glared red and lurit
through the heavy masses OF smoke
where had stood Manistee, it behel(
SCENE or DEsO1ATroN.
Scarcely to be described. In the FRS
Ward three buildings remained tn
Catholic Church, the Ward School hous
and small ldwelling-and should ad,
some small fishing shanties, near til
; mouth of the river. The Third War
was swept clean except few building
J near Manistce Lake. In the Secon
/ Ward the six plated blocks lying be
/ tween Oak and Maple streets, and abou
! thirty buildings near the mouth, wer