The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-10-28

a v
villages RIotsed Out-The Emhabit-
anis Burned 10 Deut.s-Iz OrribLe
Details OF the Sad Calamity.
OF EIGHTY PERSONS IN sHINGLE MILL,
FIFTY SEVEN BURNED To DEATH.
The Door County Adcocate contains full
account of the loss of life and property by
the great fires in that county. Up to Sun
day, 9th inst. fires had been raging through
the towns of Brussels, Union, Gardner, For
estvile, Clay Banks, Neswaupee, Sturgeon
Bay, aud Sevastopol. burning fences and
timber. but leaving houses untouched. At
nine O'Clock on Sunday night tornado of
fire swept down from the southwest, begin
ming at Belgium settlement, in Brussels.
sweeping through the town of Union and
Gardner, the western part Of Sevastopol. and
down the east shore Of the bay, Consuming
every building in its path.
At WIliamson's shingle mill everything
was burned. and the most awful destruction
OF human life ensued. Out of eighty kersOns
at the mill tifty-seven were burned TO death.
The few survivors tell horrible tales Of the
After the fire forty>two bodies were
found in potato patch in the centre of
clearing others were found scattered in va
rous places, some 10 wells. Many were dis
figured 10 a terrible manner, and in some
cases beyond recognition.
This great destruction was The work Of
but fifteen mlEutes, and was the same lorna
DO that burned Peehtigo and twelve hundred
human beings.
A number of other loss, Of life are reported
- other places. Twenty two were burned
at Brusse,s. There is scarcely house or
barn standing in the line Of this storm of Fl e
Efforts for relief are not spared at MIwauk e
or anywhere III tue State, and gifts from
ahT 70 "a "a rtll, ,la
these who survive.
Contributions of money can be sent to AL
exander Mitchell, Esq President Of the Wis
consin Maine and Fire Insurance Bank,
Milwaukee. Clothing or provisions to Hon.
Harrison Ludiugton, Mayor of Milwaukee.
FROM AN EYE WITNESS OF THE BURNING OF
VILLAGES AND FORESTS IN WISCONSIN.
On Sunday night Oct 18th, Mr. Jas b.
Clark, of Detroit, was at UuiontUwn, Wis.
Fires were blazing through the forests and
along the prajries in every direction. A
sundUwn there a strong breeze, which
at nine O'Clock Increased to a furious gale
blowing towards the lake. The whole sur
face of the country to the westward. east
ward, and southwark seemed to be one mass
Of flame, which almost reached to the lower
iug Clouds and rushed along at race horse
speed. Even where Mr. Clark was the heat
Was intense. Beyond, toward the lake, was
the settlement Of Williamson's Mills, COM
lrising about fourteen families. Tie Il es
suddenly made rush like the flash IF train
OF gunpowder, aud swept in the shape Of
crescent around the settlement. 1t is almost
impossible to conceive the frightful rapidity.
of the advance of the flames. The rushing
hre seemed to eat up and aunihilate the trees.
THE RUSH OF THE FIERY BLAST.
The roar of the blast was as loud as the
whrr of great mill As we stood looking
on, say about ten o'clock, we heard another
strange sound. Straining our eyes toward
the hre-about seven miles distant-we could
just discern something moving; now it would
appear like black mass, then it would seI-
arate into fragments, swayin9 to and fro.
and bobbing up aud down. 1t came toward
Us directly from the urd wall of flame So
intense was the glare of light about us that
our eyes were Gazed they ran with water,
and we could see only by constantly u~ing
our handkerchief. At last we made out oy
sight and sound that the moving mass was
a stampede of cattle and horses thundering
ing along toward US away from the flames
believing. neighiug aud moaning as they
galioped on. Finally they came ru h no
past with fearful speed. their eyebals diIated
and glarlng with terror, and every motion
Eetoking delirium Of fright Some had been
badly burned. and must have plunged thro'
long space of fame in the desperate effort
to escape.
FAMILY'S PATE.
Following considerably behind came a sol
itary horse, painting and snCrtlug and uea V
exhausted. He was saddled and bridl, d,
and. as we first thought, had a bag dashed
to his back. As he came up we were start
led at The sight of young lad lying fallen
over the animals neck. the bride wound
around his hands, and the name clinched hy
The Fingers. Little effort was needed to stop
the ,ded horse, aud at once re. ease tic hel1>
less boy. He ives taken Into the house and
all that we could do was done but he had
Inhaled the smoke, and was seemingly diving.
S'me time elapsed. and he revived enough
TO speak, De told his name, Patrick Byrnes.
aui said
Father and mother and tie children 60
into the wagon. ! don't know what becar
OF them. Everything is Jurnal up l am
dying. Oh, is hell any worse than this ?'''
The poor fellow lay in a critical condition
when left. The next morning we went TO
the settlement. The fist house we came to
was that of Patrick Byrnes, father of the
lad before spoken of. II was a heap Of ash
es. The brick chimney. the cooking stove,
au'' lOu fOl lNIOLS Ol IIn TOOLS were the only
remnants Of the place. The forest W on MT
down to the ground. the stumps only being
left, smouldertng and smoking Everything
was hot. Even the road was Taxed and
cracked by the heat.
ROASTED ON THE ToADsIDE.
About mile further on we came to bor>
rible spectacle. Alongside the road in gul-
ly lay the bodies Of six persons and two
horses, roasted to a crisp. The IRON tires Of
the wheels aud braces aud bolts of the wagon
were scattered about. Here the fire had
surrounded and engulfed them Evidently
the animals IN their mad struggles had rear
ed plunged, aud fallen headiong from the
road to where they died.
MIR. Byrnes was native of Tipperarv
county, LELAND. and with his wife had been
IN America over thirty years Formerly
they lived in the Fourth Ward f New York
where he was employed as carrman. Sew