Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-10-18
THE FIRES In THE WEST.
Loss and Suiferings Of Chicago Equal
led, IL Not SurnaSsed.

than that which Will exist for the
coming fall and winter and the next
spring in the States of Minnesota,
Wisconsin, and Michigan. The for
ests are being swept away. Houses
barns, accumulated grain, lumber
mills, whole villages; large and small,
are extinguished. As long as the
drouth and the violent winds con,
tinue this destruction will continue.
The Post adds: I'VE trust, there
fore, that it will not be forgotten that
the destruction of property, If not tbs
present loss of life and property, may
equal if they do not surpass, the loss
which occurred in Chicago. In con-
sidering the distress of that city, SC
concentrated and intense, let us not
forget the demands which the coun-
try that helped make Chicago has
upon our charitable consideration"
At a meeting of citizens of Detroit
on Wednesday, called by the Mayor
for the purpose of extending help to
the suffering, it was stated that the
counties of Huron and Sanilac, on the
shore of Lake Huron, had been en-.
tirely destroyed by fire and their en-
tire population of between 1900 souls
left entirely destitute of all earthly
possessions. The boats brought down
to Port Huron on Tuesday night fully
three hundred people in the most
frightful condition, some of them al
most entirely naked, some of them
blind, and others with their hair and
flesh partly burned off. UnquestiOn-
ably there has been a fearful loss Of
life in that locality. The terrible tor.
nado which swept over that region
drove the fire before it at the rate oil
seven or eight miles an hour, and nc
human device could save the people
from destruction. Hundreds, if not
thousands, must have persisted, while
those who escaped with their lives
have lost everything they possessed
in the world.
INCIDENTS OF THE FIRE.
A story is told of one man who
drove to Forestville from his home
two miles back in the country, with
his mother in the wagon. As they
passed along the road the heat was so
great that their faces and hands were
blistered and the chance of saving
their lives seemed not altogether sure.
At one point they saw a woman lying
by the roadside, but whether dead or
only insensible they could not tell,
nor did they stop to see, but drove on
as rapidly as possible, thinking this
the only possible way of saving their
own lives.
At Rock Falls it Is said that the fire
came in at the rate of eight miles an
hour, and people from the surround
ing region drove in at the best pace
their teams could show to keep ahead
of it.
Two or three of the towns were in
vaded by the fire at midnight, and
people were aroused from their slum-
bers only just in time to rush into
the water, and without time to save
clothing for a decent pro-
lection, while cattle, horses, sheep,
and even chickens ran into the
water to keep them company.
At White Rock a woman was de-
livered of a child at II o'clock Satur-
day night, and Sunday night she was
forced to rise from her bed, take the
child in her arms and take to the
water, where she remained until
AOEeuOO0.
STORY OF A vICTIM-A FEARFUL
JOURNEY.
Mr.. Henry Schilling, a German,
residing on q farm five miles back of
FOrestville, was awakened about one
o'clock Sunday morning by the
shreaking of the wind and the dense
Volume of smoke which came pour
ing into his dwelling. Springing
from his bed he discovered that the
fire was close upon him and that his
outbuildings were already burning.
Hastily Selling his young children,
and arOusing his wife, they made
their escape into the open air. They
were not there a moment too quick,
for no sooner had they left the house
than it was on fire, and in a few mo-
ments more they must inevitably
persisted in it. To go back into
the building to recover anything,
their ordinary clothing, except
the scanty portion which they had
hastily thrown on after getting out of
bed, was impossible. Their only sal
vas to run for their lives. The
flames were all about them on every
side and impelled by the fury of the
tornado tley roared like mad demons,
licking up everything cOmbustible
their course. Mr.. Schilling saw
his dwelling, with all its contents,
his crops and tools, and all the ac-
foundations of years of hard toll
wrapped in fire. The only hope ofsav-
ing his life and that of his family was
IN Ann ~ tho laEn chnEa Eu-a r,s1Dz
away. In that desperate strait, and
doubtful of ever reaching a place of
he started on his midnight
flight through fire and smoke. The
heavens were lurid with flame and
he smoke was blindingaDd sitting.
The road for the most part of the dis
.ance lay through the woods, and
-hese were on fire. The underbrush !
md leaves on the ground were all
and the burning trunks of
,rees were falling in all directions. |
Often these INSTRUCTED his way, and
ne was obliged to make circuit about
hem, literally walking through fire.
)r to climb over the living embers.
Mr.. Schilling describes it as a fearful
Quincy, 3nd one can readily conceive
MAJ suNl II was MS GA bcllcuCC WIS
doubtless only one of many, and there
$ no question that his was an excep-
in that it was successfully made.
Of families have persisted
IN such journeys. He says that some
imcs it seemed as though his strength
would fail. But his wife kept up
,oOd courage, and he was nerved by
he thoughtof his helpless ones which
lie carried in his arms. If he had
lad time to get his team and wagon
hey would have been useless, as the
Dad was made impossible by fallen
rees. The long, long night at length
yOre slowly away, and-jnst at day
light he arrived at FOrestville only to
ind the town already consumed, and
he inhabitants huddled in dismay
lpOn the shore of the lake. Forum
Itely the steamer Huron was soon at
land, and by her they were taken off
md brought to Port Huron, where
hey were furnished with clothing.
Nh. Schilling describes the whole
egiOn of country as completely de-
'astated, and corroborates the other
which have been received as
o the destruction of property and the
offering of the inhabitants.
We mourn the abrupt departure Of
,ur old friend in legislative labors, Hon.