Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1872-11-29

pie were knocked down, and some were
killed, by blazing missiles almost before
it was known that there was any fire
where they were, for the wind carried the
flames in almost every direction with
frightful speed. Confusion was worse
COMPOUNDED, as is always the case at such
times. The most useless of articles were
borne about as though of immense value;
silks and satins were thrown into the
street and trodden into utter worthless
ness, or picked up and lugged away by
the passefs by. Carts and trucks,
dragged by men and horses, dashed and
jammed their way along, breaking boxes
and upsetting in their passage, and max
ing, with the glare of the light, no bad
picture of what pandemonium must be.
On their heads the blazing buildings
dropped great gouts and flakes of fire. AS
the fire spread through the adjacent
streets, threatening to consume all the
lower part of the city, the entire popula-
ton became aroused, and far uptown,
though it was now late at night there
was no idea Of going to bed. Women
left alone in the magnificent houses in
Beacon street became nervous and
fidgetty, and somewhat ludicrous story
is told of a Mrs. NJ, who actually had her
beds, pictures, and heirlooms, which had
come down to her from the time when
her great-great grandfather burned
witches in Salem, all packed up together
and placed on the floor in the hall, con.
demning her less frightened and naturally
less interested servants from sleeping all
night except. on. floors and lounges.
Others, to whom baked beans are an alb,
solute necessity on Sunday morning, are
said to have been seen with jars full OF
them standing disc0nsolately at their
doors, watching the fire at great dis
lance, and fully determined to carry their
breakfasts away with them, and, II neces-
sary, to have their regular meal on the
Common in the morning. Inathenarrow
and mysteriously tortuous streets of the
lower town-made years ago by the
devious paths of cows seeking and return
ing from pasture-there was unbelievable
excitement In South Cove poor people
ran about like lunatics, haf naked, aud
yet with their household goods and uten-
sils under their arms, shrieking and be-
moaning their hard fate Women with
babes in their arms rushed away crying
and crazed with fear and excitement.
Lost children, forgotten or abandoned
amid the turmoil and rage, sat on. the
curbstOnes weeping, and fled in terror in
every direction, Vainly seeking their lost
parents. The sick lay alone in their
chambers unable to rise, and not know
ing but the fire might at any moment
reach them; in their weakness not less
than ten or twelve of such unfortunate
persons are said to have been killed by
fear, which even their trusted relatives
could not allay. In one of the tenement
houses dcvoured by the flames woman,
her new born infant, and her husband
were burned to death, the man nobly re-
fusing to leave his family and being I'm.
able to remove them to place Of safety.
The alarm bell sounding and the shock of
explosions which shook the city to its
very center as house after house was
blown up to prevent the further spread of
the conflagration added unspeakable hor
ror to the scene. It was wild night of
fear and anguish to many a poor soul.
In the vicinity of Milk street were still
standing few old houses whose inhabit
ants, being their owners as we'll, and
mostly unmarried ladies, refused with
tenacity TO leave the spot where their
fathers had been born and died, and
where they hoped to end their days in
the same quiet and peaceful manner.
They had become attached to the places
and declined to leave under any induce
ments. To spectators and tempting
offers they were deaf and imnovable;
but who can resist the commands of the
fire? Sitting in their parlors they awaited,
pale and trembling, the approach of the
flames. Like veritable descendants Of
the Puritans, they would not fly until the
last moment But when that. last mo-
ment came, their only thought was to
rescue the precious relics which had been
religiously handed down for generations.
One of them rushed into the street tug
ging away manfully at huge carved
oaken table, which, by dint Of almost
herculsan effOrts-for her--she had sue
ceeded in getting as far as the sidewalk
Here, with the accustomed total depravi.
ty of inanimate things, it defed her, and
despite all her eXertions she could
move it but q few inches at a time. Be-
hind her the flames roared and cracked
fiercely, but to all recommendations to
leave she replied that the table had ''come
over in the Mayfewer," and that she
would sooner lose life itself than the
memorable piece of furniture. Another,
of stouter build, shouldered large
clock and trudged off with it manfully,
the disarranged machinery beating q, per
against such sacrilegious handling.
The locality in which the fire originated
is all historical ground. There stood the
house Of Edward Everett, and in the
front corner, commanding,a fine view up
Summer street toward the Common, was
the study wherein he was wont to slowly
compose and deliberately polish his cele-
brated eloquent inpromptus. The build
ing was large and expensive, in those
days. Even now it would pass muster
as the residence of some wealthy and
cultivated gentleman, who cared more for
solid comfort than pretentious show.
The immediate neighborhood was in
habited by descendants, and,in some in
stances, founders, of the ''best families
On the right of MI. Everett's house stood
that of MIR. John Tappan, brother of
Arthur Tappan, the celebrated abolition
list. This house. was SCI back from the
sidewalk some forty feet, occupying the
corner Of Summer street, and running
back some ways along Arch court. Only
within a very few years was the Old-fash-
toned building torn down, crumbling
under the advance of business as its sue
cessor has crumbled before the advance
of business master. Within stones
throw stood the old house in which lived
Mrs. John Hancock at the time she issued
her celebrated order that her handmade
ems should go forth and ''milk all the
COWS upon the Common" In Arch
court, few feet below the termination
of John Tappans grounds, was library,
old-fashioned and quaint as the locality
in which it stood, partly on one side of
the lane-it was no more than that-and
partly above the arch.which sprang across
the street, giving Tits name.--Boston Cor.
". 7. WorJd.
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