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

~ hichiSan paper publishes private
letter from State Senator McGowan to
his vile, giving an account Of the great
fire at Michigammi After describing
the spread OF the flames in the forests
Surrounding the village, he says:
eve 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 a point. But the direction of
the shore was east and west, and the
fire was sweeping down upon us. l
went to the edge OF the wasr, and
looked up and down. The line ofsafety
seemed to be in the water, and in |
went l picked up board six or eight
feet long and wadcd out to get better
view of the situation. just east of me |
saw some8 men trying to get hewn
stick into the lake. l went to them.
but they had given it up aud were look
ing for boards. Iurged them to put in
the timber, and, eft 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
this raft six of US PUT to sea in the teeth
of furious wind that sought to drive us
into the fire. After struggling awhile,
| t''a The mcn to keep the tiulbcr from
turning, and clanbered up astride of
t, near the bow end, and, with my
board for paddle, struck out. 1t was
terrible work. The winds and the
waves w>re against US. The lake was
white with foam. We hal made ab nut
four rods f.um shore when Que of the
talcat men, letting himself down, said
MS feet were on rock. Our strength
was almost exhausted, so we told him to
holl US. | slipped down from my
wooden horse, and on examination we
found the rock large enough to allox
wv VA Us " alauu oh IL. W z tOOk
long breath, and went into commi: tee of
the whole on the situation. If We sh .,il
undertake to row our craft f.rthcr from
the fire, we wouli soon be overcome
ana then be uiown directly into it. The
una. a.hmous 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 Of the timber. When
the hot air swept down upon US, we put
our tacos close to the water and shu:
our mouths. For an hour and half We
were there in the sater, and 1 becam,
terribly child.
by and by the worst of the fire was
over, and q couple of Swedes came to-
ward us with boat / was the worst
used up of any of the party, thoroughly
chilled and exhausted. Ny companions
called to them to come and 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 50 to 60 hack and
bring off another o. the boys who was
also badly chilled. AS soon as I got
aboard the beat l commenced wrinying
my clothes as well rs | 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 l 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 steauer was loaded. The fire
had swept by where our raft was, and
the balance Of our little party had let
loose IRON the rock and hoated ashore.
We were all saved. The mill was still
standing, but not out of danger. After
they had sounded the whistle, the people
commenced gathering there. I can not
describe the scene here. / don't want
to try. The women aud ch,ldren an
men rushing about and crying aud bcs