Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-11-09
THE WISCONSIN FIRES.
I.osse. OF Lire AND proper.y.

+ A correspondent of the Milwaukee
Wisconsin, who has Travelled through the
burned regions in Wisconsin, thus sums
up the loss Of life aud property. in the
country through which he passed;
After making deduction for exag,
gerations, had supposed that 900 would
cover the number Of dead on the west
side of the bay. | now learn from reli.
able resources that the actual number Of
interments up to Monday night, counted
up to 50i. Add another hundred for re-
mains of ashes and charred bones al
Peshtigo, and think we have not far
from the true number on the west side.
Add 100 for the east side--making I5U
in all-and the deathfoll is nearly com
plete.
1t is impossible to figure the aggregate
losses of pine timber and farm property
with any degree Of closeness. 1t is the
interest Of mill men to underrate the
amount of fallen pine to save 1T. A me
dunn estimate Of damage to pine lands
in the Green Bay region is 800, 900, The
damage on the Wolf is figured at $500,
600. There is abundance of hard wood
left in places; the damages to lndiyidu
ais may amount to 100000 The loss
of the fifteen saw mills burned is put a
S225 900. The loss of cordwood, ties
hemiock bark, ETC., is set at $20O,OOO
The losses of fences, buildings, wagons
cattle, crops, among the six hundred far
mers cannot be less than $6O0,OO0 :
making total aggregate Of more
than $3,OO0,00G, aside from those a
Peshtigo.
The country through from Brown
county north to Big Sturgeon Bay, fol
400 square miles, is utterly devastated
At least four hundred farms in this tor
nado section alone are left desolate-
stripped of every improvement. Fences
barns, dwellings, implements, furniture
wagons, harness and crops, all went VI
in whirlwind Of fire" 1t will taxi
30 years, in that cold, hard soil for theil
timber to grow again. In the aggregate
their losses must foot up to $1,000
family. Farmers here have saved hal
of their teams, that were let loose in The
woods, and a third OF their stock. Blu
they have no hay, straw, grain, or FEED
of any sort-not even the poor chance
of browse in the woods. Nearly all will
large families have lost their last COW
and mig. In ride of six miles, on near
" straight line, saw but three hens
and tanning mill-the only farming
implement left in the town. In the Bel
gian settlement, on Red river, 62 iami
| lies were burned out in a row. Not 9
shed, not coop--not one fence rail LEFT
upon another. The families had fled
almost naked, and breathless, to the few
cabins on the outskirts that were saved
There are three hundred, or more
wounded sufferers remaining in hotels
boarding-houses and hospitals about the
BAY. Fifty of the Peshtigo sufferers
were at the Dunlap House, Marinette
Half of them we're able to be about
Burned ears, faces, hands and feet were
common to nearly ALL Many in rooms
could hardly stir in bed. There were
women with great burns ON the sides anc
limbs, with faces like kettles and hands
like claws, burned to the bones. Mer
could fight better and dare more thar
women. Most of them persisted by sui
location. Little children are sadly
manned in their feet and faces | saw
one with a heel gone, and another with
an eve. Nearly all will recover with the
loss Of sight or limb. could fill book
with stories of the hospital. Most OF
them suffer more from hurts Of mind
than body. j have a sad memory OF O
poor widow who lost her crippled boy
who went on crntches, and sprightly
little girl who fell between the burning
logs. They were all of her family. The
screams Of both she said, seemed
forever sounding in her ears" There IL
future, and no doubt compensations fol
all these suffering ones.
Most Of these cabins that are left are
crowded with two or three families each
L saw one with four men, five women
and sixteen children-two Of them suck
ers. They had just received an outfit Of
clothing-warm stockings, knit hoods
thin shawls, thin CATERS and light col
ored dresses for the women and girls
odd.fashioned hats, bursted boots, thin
Jackets and summer coats and pants FOL
the men and boys. There were some
occasions of laughter, but none OF rldl
Guile; all were glad and surprised at get
ting what they did. / saw no immediate
want of provisions. Flour, pork ant
hard bread are distributed to all, pack
ages of tea and coffee to most. There
are nearly potatoes enough in the coun
try. II distributed. Their stock that il
left has been driven off to meadows anC
fields not burned over. One large
hearted old farmer was keeping eighty
odd cattle belonging to his unfortunate
neighbors Without stopping to con
slider the ways of Providence, or tn
uses Of philosophy, these simple-pinde'
people seem TO have understood the ar