The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-11-01
Il NIGHT OF TERROR.
The Tornado OF Fire in Mtchigan--The
Experience of a Man who Staid to See
1t Out--Taktng Refuge in a Well.
From the Detroit POST


Allison Weaver, who reached Detroit from
Port Huron on Wednesday, had narrow and
curious escape from being roasted alive in the
north woods. Weaver Is single man, about
fifty years old. Up to two weeks ago he was
at work for man named Bright, ten miles
from Forrestville, as fireman for shingle
mill. Two or three days before the approach
of the flames, which eventually destroyed that
section. Bright and his family lett Tor Forrest
Vile, and the next day all the men
employed about the place either fol-
lowed his example or made haste to reach
their homes. On leaving Bright informed
his men that the fire would sweep that way,
and warned them to lose no time in making
their escape. Having no property. to lose or
saws t'to stay end 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
and buried all the provisions left In the house,
and during the day also buried the knives and
other light machinery Of the mill, as well as
stove and quantity OF crockeryware There
was a plenty OF water in the vicinity OF the
mill and he filed several barrelsful, besides
wetting down house, mill, stock and every
thing which would burn, scattering several
hundred palfuls of water on the grounds
around the buildings.
When night came, and the fire had not ap-
peared, he began to jeer his absent comrades.
But his self-c0nceit soon left him. About 10
o'clock the heavens were so light that he
could see the smallest objects around him, and
there was roaring in the forests, which
sounded like the waves beating against rocks
on the shore. He began to suspect that he
would soon receive the visit projected, and ac-
cordingly made preparations for it. In lev
elling up the ground around the shlngle mill,
earth had been obtained by digging here and
there, and Weaver went to work and dug one
of these pits deep enough for him to stand up
in. He then filled it nearly full OF water, and
took care to saturate the ground around it
for distance of several rods. Going to
the mill he dragged out a tour-lnch plank,
sawed it In Two, and saw that the
parts tightly covered the mouth OF the little
well. II calkelated 1t would be tech and go, "
said he, ''but it was the best could do" At
midnight he had everything arranged, and the
roaring then was awful to hear. The clearing
was ten or twelve acres in extent. and Wea-
yer says that for two hours before the fire
reached him there was q constant flight across
the ground of small animals. As he rested q
moment from giving the house another wet
ting down, horse dashed into the opening at
full speed, aud made for the house, where he
stopped and turned toward the fire. Weaver
could see him tremble and shake In his excite
ment and terror, and felt pity for him. After
q moment the animal gave utterance to snort
of dismay, ran two or three times around the
house, and then shot off into the woods like o
rocket. (.
Not long after this fire came. Weaver stood
by his well, ready for the emergency, yet Gu
rious to see the breaking in of the flames.
The roaring increased iu volume, the air be-.
came oppressive, cloud of dust and cinders
came showering down, aud he could see the
flames through the trees. 1t did not run
along upon the ground, nor leap from tree to
tree, but 1t came on like q tornado, q sheet Of
fame reaching from the earth to the tops OF
the trees. As 1t struck the clearing he jumped
into his we'll and closed over the planss. He
could no longer see, but he could hear. He says
that the flames made no halt whatever, nor
ceased their roaring for an instant; but he had
hardly got the opening closed before the house
and mill were burning like tinder, and both
were down In five minutes. The smoke
came down to him powerfully, and his den
was 80 hot that he could hardly breathe. BE
but remembering their thickness, he waited
till the roaring of the flames had died away,
and then with his head and hands turned them
over and put out the fire by dashing up water
with his hands. Although 1t was cold night,
and the water had at first chilled him, the heat
gradually warmed tup until he says he felt very
comfortable. He remained In his den until
ucuuCuIll GululuS OFCl euO plouno
and putting out the fire. and then the worst
had passed The earth around was on fire in
spots, house and mill were gone, leaves, brush,
and logs were swept clean away as If shaved
of and swept with broom, and nothing but
SCOT and ashes were to be seen.
After the fire had somewhat cooled of,
Weaver made an investigation tof his caches,
and found that considerable OF the property
buried had been saved, although he lost all
bis provisions, except piece Of dried beef,
which the fire had cooked as in an oven with
out spelling it. He had no other resource
than to remain around the place that day,
during the night and the greater part of the
next day, when the ground had cooled enough
so that he could pick his way to the site of the
burned village. He was nearly twelve hours
going the twelve miles, as trees were falling,
logs were burning, and the falling timber had
in some places heaped up q breastworl, over
which no one could climb.