Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-11-23
A Man Who Outgeneneralcd the
Michigan Fire.

A man named Allison Weaver, who
reached Detroit from Port Huron recently,
had curious escape from being roasted
alive in the north woods. His story -
thus told in the Detroit Free Press
Weaver is single man, about 90 years
old. and served all through the war IN an
Ohio regiment of infantry. Up 10 TWO
weeks ago he was al WORK Tor IA man
named Bright, ten miles from forestyilie
as fireman in single mill. Twoor three
DAYS before the approach OF the flames,
which eventually destroyed that section,
Bright and his family left for Forestville,
and the next day all the men employed
about the place either followed his eX-
ample or made haste to reach lhelr
homes On leaving, Bright informed his
men that the fire would sweep that way,
and warned them 10 lose no time IN max
ING their escape. Having no property to lose
or family to care for, Weaver predetermined,
as he says, "to stay and see the circus
out :" meaning that he intended saving the
mill if possible He has stubborn sort
of spirit, and the fact that everybody
else went induced him to stay, AS soon as
the men left, he set to work ana buried
ALI the provisions left in the house, ana
during the day also buried the knives
belts and other light machinery OF the
mill As well as a stove and quantity OF
crockery ware. There was plenty oil
water in the vicinity of the mill, ana
he filed several barrels full, beside
wetting down house, mill, stock, and
everything which would burn, scattering
several hundred pailfuls of water on The
| grounds around the buildings. when
night came, and the fire had not appeared,
he began to jeer his absent comrades. Bu'
| his selfconceit soon left him. About ten
| o'clock the heavens were so light that ne
could see the smallest objects around MN,
and there was roaring IN the forests
which sounded like waves beating against
| rocks ON the shore. He began TO suspect
| that he would soon receive the WISH pre-
dicted. and accordingly made preparation,
| for il In leveling up the ground around
| the single mill, earth had been obtained
by digging here and there, and weaver
! vent 10 work and dug one ut these plls
| deem enough for him to stand up IN. lie
! then filed il nearly full OF water, ana
! took care to saturate the ground around II
| for distance Of several rods. Gong 10
| tbe mill ne dragged out four-inch plank
sawed il in two, and saw that me pare
tightly covered the little well cake
lated il would be tech and go, said ne,
"but il was the best could do" AT MD
night he had everything arranged, ana II, Inc
roaring then was awful to hear Inc
clearing was eight or ten acres IN extent,
and Weaver says that for two hours heiore
the fire reached him there was constant
flight across the ground of small animals A
he rested q moment from giving the house
another wetting down, morse sashe''
into the opening at full speed, ana naus
for the house, where he stopped anu
turned toward the fire. Weaver couio
zee him tremble and shake in his exeile
ment and terror, and felt pity for nm p.
After a moment the animal gave utterahce
/ 10 snort of dismay, ran two or lilres
/ times around the house, and then shot vi
/ into the woods like a rocket. MOI ione
after this fire came. Weaver STOOD Dy III
well ready for the emergency, yet cuf n
/ 70 see the breaking in OF the fiaines. ne
roarino increased in volume, the air be
came Oppressive, cloud OF dust and GIN
| ders came shoycring down, and he coiic
coo the flames through the trees. IL due
not RIM along the ground, nor leap iron
,ro. 10 sree. but it came on like tornado
y sbe,t of fame reaching from the earti
70 the tops of the trees. AS 1t struct