The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1873-08-02
A Village on Fire.
A FEARFUL EXPERIENCE.

a MichiSan paper publishes private
letter from State Senator MCGOWAN to
his wife, giving an account Of the great
fire at Michigammi. After describing
the spread OF the flames in the forests
surrounding the village, he says:
ave saw it was useless for US to try
to do anything except, if possible, save
our lives. We ran to the lake and got
out on q point. But the direction of
the shore was eas. ard vest, and the
fire was sweeping down upon US.
went to the edge OF the water, and
looked up and down. The line ofsafety
seemed to be in the water, and in l
went. | picked up board six or eight
feet long and wadcd out to get better
view of the situation. Just east of me
saw somofemen trying to get hcwn
stick tosthe lake. l went to them.
but they had given it up and were look
lug for boards. iuTgedi them 10 put iu
the timber, and, at my solicitation; they
tried again and We succeeded in launch.
ing 1t. One of the men had plank,
and had my board. We laid the board
and plank across the timber, which was
probably twenty five feet long, and with
tiiis raft six Of US put 10 sea ia che teeth
of furious wind that sought to drive us
into the fire. After struggling awhile,
told the men to keep the timber from
turning, and clambered up astridc of
t. near the bow end, and, with my
board for paddle, struck out. 1t was
terrible work. The winds and the
waves were against US, The lake was
white with foam We hui made alb ,ut.
four rods f;um shore when Que of the
tallcat men, letting himself down, said
mis- feet were on rock. Our strength
was almost exhausted, so we told him to
holi US l slipped down from my
wooden horse, and on examination we
found the rock large enough to allox
two of US to stand on it. We took
long breath, aud went into committee of
the whole on the situation. If wc sh ,ull
undertake to row our craft farther from
the fire, we would soon be overcome.
and then be vIown directly into it. The
unanimous verdict was, that we would
take our chances here. The FIRE was
around us, above us, every where. The
water was full Of struggling people. We
held to the stick. Two of us would
stand on the rock at time and anchor
the rest, who foatcd like sea weeds from
along the sides the timber. When
the hot air swept down upon us, we put
our faces close to the water and shus
our mouths. For an hour and half we
were there in the water, and | became
terribly child.
by and by the worst of the fire was
over, and couple of Swedes came to-
ward us with boat was the worst
used up of any of the party, thoroughly
chilled and exhausted. My companions
called to them to come aud take me off.
They helped me into the boat, and the
Swedes took me to the little steamer
which was anchored further out in the
lake. gave them SO to go hack aud
bring off another o: the, boys who was
also badly chilled. AS soon as got
aboard the boat | commenced wrinying
INV clothes as we'll as could and exer
cising all | was able. The hot air and
smoke had made my lungs so sore
could not breathe deep, anl every
breath was painful. However the air
was still warm from the FIRE, and I grad
ually grew warmer. We sent every
boat we could, after the people in the
water, and on the points, until at last
our little steamer was loaded. The fire
had swept by where our raft was, and
the balance of our little party had let
loose from the rock and foated ashore.
We were all saved. The mill was still
standing, but not ont of danger. After
they had sounded the whistle, the people
commenced gotheting there. I can not
describe the scene hero. don't want
to try. The women aud chlIdrsn and
mon rushing abeas aud crying aud beg