Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-10-27
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THE NORTa-wRsTERN PIREs

Graphic Account of OF the Destrue.
zion Of PesbIgO, by Captain j. H.
Hauser-scenes ana Incidents.
From the Fond du Lee Commonwealth.
The first news of great disaster is
generally exaggerated, but the first re.
ports OF the recent fires in the moth
western part OF this State lell far short
of the truth. When we heard that
Peshtigo was burned, and sixty lives
lost, eVerv one said that it was an ex
aggeration. They could not understand
how, in village, so many lives could
, be lost but recent visit TO the fields
of desolation and death made us wonder
how any were saved.
From Ocont0, twenty-five mi'es north
Of Green Bay, we went by teams through
the burnt district 10 the Sugar Bush,
Peshtigo, and Marinette. The fire came
close To OcOnto, the people having TO
work her0ically to save the city. For
the first eight miles north of the city the
country was burned over, destroying
immense quantities OF timber and some
houses. Scarcely an acre OF gtound es
capped upburned. If the owners could
cut the pine which was burned so badly
as 10 kill it, and get it manufactured into
lumber this year, the loss would not be
30 fearful; but it would be impossible to
cut 30 much in one year.
Eight miles north of Oconto the lorna
do began its terrible work OF destruction.
From this point to Peshtigo, distance
OF twelve miles, the timber was very
heavy. Where the tornado began the
timber was mostly pine, and further on
it consisted of oak, beach. and maple,
many trees rupDipg up eighty feet to the
FIRST limbs. 1t is probable that the tor
na6o carried the fire along with it with
wonderful rapidly. For mile after mile
not tree Of any size was lett standing
only q saplipg here and there, bending to
tho blast, Withstood the storm. The
trees were blown down, the roots, in
many instances after the trees had fallen
standing twelve to fifteen feet high, with
rocks and dirt among them, were lett
The ground was ei her covered with
ashes or burned until it locked red. The
underbrush, the small limbs OF the trees,
ths bark, the leaVes-were all burned.
1t seems impossible that week ago II
was forest OF evergreen trees.
Wherever there was a culvert in the
road built of logs, and covered with
ground, it was burned also The logs in
The corduroy road, leaving the ground
hollow. There was no sign OF life, either
animal or vegetable. Deer and par
tridges were ly ing along the road burned
TO death. About fifteen miles north o.
Oconto is the lower Sugar Bush settle
ment. The road through the bush runs
east and west. The land is cleared bach
and cultivated about three quarters OF 9
mile on each side OF the road. The farm
houses were scattered alorg this roaC
for q distance of five miles. Not {
building nor fence is left. The Glove
fields were burnt over as II stubble
every stump was burnt black anC
In m my instances in plowed fields TIA,
stnmps were burned entirely up, leaving
holes in the ground where the roots haC
been The heat must have been intense
We saw the iron work of wagon b,
the road side, and there was no evidence
OF any cSmbustible material near tn
wagon, and yet not splinter OF WOO
work OF the wagon was lett. The skeiD
had dropped in their proper places, wit
the ties lying around them. The. cbai
used to fasten the oxsn TO the WACO
was stretched out from where the toI
ward axle would have been, aud at III
other end Of the chain lay the irons {
the end of the tongue.
Near by where every farm house ha
stood, were lying dead horses, cattle al
hogs. Some of the horses were harnesse
and bridled. Through this settlemeI
runs small stream Of water the fish
IL were dead. In this district but OF
family were saved. They ran down I'M
creek behind small mound OF earth
others went into the stream, but we
found dead. None of the iRhabltan
were burned in their houses. They we
found scattered in the fields. TweDt.
six bodies were found In one field. 4 <