Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-03-16
A SUFFERER BY THE WESTERN
FIRE.

A sad case of the result of the great
fire of the West has come to our notice.
The life of William Walker, Of whom
we write, has been life of vicissitudes
from decent competency to beggary
from health to sickness. Born in
Berkshire County, Mass, he removed
to Texas when but eight years of age,
and dwelled there until he was sixteen.
Then, being somewhat of a rowing dispo-
sition, he went by the overland route to
California, and there remaining for sew
eral years, gathered, by dint of hard
and persistent toll, about SIS, 900. As
time went by the desire came on him to
settle in some more Eastern State, and
not many years since, he set himself
and family down in the village of Pisca-
goo, Wisconsin. His business here was
keeper of a sawmill on one of the many
streams in that State and he lived very
happily, being in good health, and his
home being one of pleasantness and COM
fort. But there are strokes of i'll luck,
Of misfortune, the coming of which no
man can prophesy. All life is chance
it may be Of continual pleasant scenes,
and it may be that man, by a sudden
stroke, is Frustrated from wealth to
want. A sudden blow came upon Mr.
Walker it was not one of fortune, but
misfortune. By it he lost his property,
his family, and almost his life 1t was
the time of the great fires of the West,
when Chicago was laid in ruins, and
the fire fend travelled rapidly over the
dry parched ground of Wisconsin and
Michigan. The extensive pine FORESTS
became ignited and gave the flames to
towns and villages till millions of doll
ars were lost and hundreds of lives were
destroyed. On this day when the con-
fagration swept over Piscagoo, Mr..
Walker was about thirty miles from his
home. His wife and children lost their
lives in it. Had he been with them he is
confident he could have saved them by
lowering them into well. Distant as
he at first was from the fire, it rapidly
approached that part of the country
where he had gone, and in order to save
his life he was obliged to take to the
water. Here he remained for fourteen
hours, and by this planted disease in
his system. From this time forward,
without money, he travelled from place
to place, meeting now and then with
kind people, but generally being rough
ly treated. He was under the doctor
treatment for i'll health in Milwaukee
whence he went to Massachusetts. where
he expected to find friends They were
friends until they became aware of hi;
destitute condition, and then they coldly
, turned him off, With the expectation
of stopping for time with a sister, he
went to Big Rapids, Mich, but finding
her very poor, he applied to some ricl
relations for food and lodgings. Will
; hearts overlooking with generosity ant
+ sympathy for his misfortunes. they per
. mltted him to sleep in their barn. |
f. was cold night and his feet were froz
f en-. From Big Rapids he travelled t
9 Omaha. and thence to st. Louis. Al
this time he was too weak to work. L
st. Louis he applied for admission at
hospital; was received, but owing t
the foul appearance of this institution
{ left it, and for two ights slept in con
o demned passenger car. Soon after thi
+ he fell into good hands, the railroa
: companies kindly giving him free pass
. age till he arrived in New Haven. Fo
o two days he wandered about the cit
seeking for aid, and unknowlng of tn
police station, slept in the gas-houst
on the ground, when so i'll that it wa
with difficulty he moved about At thi
time he went forty eight hours withou
anything to eat. At last, however, h
was kindly received here at the hospita
and has just come out. his health grad
ually improving by kind treatment
But his lungs are SO weak-the effec
. of staying in the cold water-that h
speaks with difficulty. He expresse
great thanks to those who. during hi
journeying from place to place. hay
, kindly helped him.
Mr.. Walker is at present in Pittsfel
= where he has relatives, whose good nam
! would be jeopardized should the fact
!, of their treatment of him in his misfol
tunes be made more fully public.-PtH
field San.
The PSYCHOLOGICAL JOURNAL fC
d March contains rich reading on sell