The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-07-16
-,,, r>rcricnee-Thrsu'ns Incl
,,.n,s Of a Great Fire.

,,;,b;,rop ,e,,tr nubiIshcS piiNa'e w
"." r,n,n senator MCGOWAN to his wi'c,
~ ''''" ,,, sr,n,nt Of the great hire nj M'cmi-
-N'''~ ' ,nc 18th ultimo. Alter dcScrln-
Ia"','., .,,,,,.,d Of The flames in the 'orcsts
IN ,,i The village. he says;
ME- II WAS useless for us to Try 10 90
nt,r cvccpf. il possible. save our i'veS.
a'' ',,,~ ~ ,hc lake and got out on point.
W. .'' 1;rc,tirn r( the shore was east and
''' 81. ,,S IN, trc was sweeping right down
">'' ',,' went tc the edge OF the water
@i-'1 n' a. ~, and down The line OF safe
"'' ,>,,,,d +, H. in the water, and IN went.
.,,r,1 M 4 board six or eight feet hng
>,}.1 ont tu get 4 better view Of the
az" Inst east nt nc l saw some
.r,srr ~ vet hewn stick into the
ID, ven, t. Them. but they had given il
.r4 we're looking for boards.
~ "a Them Ia M, in The timber. and, nj
,Eii,iion. they tried again, and We sue.
,.l,n I,nnehing il. One ot the men had
.l.pA, AMI had my hoard. We laid The
.-..I and plank across the TIMBER, which
n.. rro,c.nlv twenty-five feet long. and
.,,r Inv, rat six Of lis put 10 sea IN teeth OF
.,i,,,. wind lha, sought to drive us into
o.. .-r After struggling awhile told the
,.... f.. keen the timber from turning, and |
..o,n.rrl IN astridc OF il near the "bow !"
,.l and With my board FOR paddle, I
..L nr,. II was terrible work. The
,...l. ami The waves were against us. The
WI, white with foam. We had made
-. ~, ..,ur rod. from shore when one Of the
,.,.. men letting himself down said his
,..v,r,.nuarork. Our strength was almost
,,-.;,-,yI. 50 we told him to hold us.
..,..i down FROM my wooden horse. and
. examination we found the rock large
....a,h "a allow two of lis 10 stand on it.
a.. ,,nA lon. breath. and went into COM
,.,..,,. NJ The whole on the situation. five
,,sa undertake, 10 row our craft further
....,, NV. trr We would Soou be overcome,
.ri then h,. blown directly into it. The
..rtr,imn,j> verdict WAS that we would take
..,- ,bsrr.> there. The fire was around Us.
..,,. IL. everywhere. The water was full
.. ,,-u-,linc pccplc. We held TO the stick.
Two o( II would stand on the rock ut Il time
Irt anchor The rest, who tloated like sea-
v.,d. from along the sides Of the timber.
When th, hot mir swept down upon us we
,r oar faces close 10 the water and shut
r.;- mouths. For An hour and half we
NJ. there in The water, and / became terri
.r billed.
Rv and hv the worst Of the fire was over,
.,I,, 4 couple Of SwCte> came toward us with
.fa4t. | WIS the worst used up Of auy of
-. rarty. thoroughly chilled and exhausted.
VI, campnion> called 10 them to come and
,4,. M ii. They helped me into the boat,
.,u; IT. >wrlc> took me TO the little steamer
ur!.i w4> anchored further out in the lake.
~. them = to 20 back and bring of an
u.a,rf tht boys who was also badly chilled.
\ .a,n A. GOT aboard the boat l COM
,..m..U wrinclng my clothes rs well as
...l snd exercising all was able. The hot
r. and smoke had made my lungs SO sore
,r.'I no; breathe deep. and every breath was
.u,n,u. However, the air WAS still warm
uam he mr., and gradually grew warmer.
", Int every boat We could after the people
m ;Hr water ana on the points until at last
..l- ';''r steamer was loaded. The fire had
>Ar:; L.: where our raft was, land the bal
.a., Of our little party had let loose from the
r. aud tuatcd ashore. We were all saved,
in- mill was still Standing. but not out OF
Danger. After they had sounded the whiS-
'r..fu" people commenced gathering there.
I.tuuui describe the scene here. | dom
van, L. try The women and children and
l4,u rushing about and crying and begging
e. -ueW something OF the absent ones. You
la., lnr-ine il don't ask me to tell it. The
WHOLE. NiIMlc WIS burned Out Of one hun.
G.,i and tw,nty-siX houses only three were
hi' landing and one Of those was burning
G.:ol. sc lett. II WAS impossible TO tel
-u} MANY lives We're lost