Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-05-22
The OSceOIa Fire.

New YORK, May 22.-Speclal dispatches
FROM Tyrone, Pa, give the following interest
log details of the Osceola fire: AS Tar as the
eve could reach from the roof Of the telegraph
,tfice az Osceola last mig hit the forests were
blazing tcrcely. Where In the morning Osce.
ola had stood was marked by number OF
small fires on the mountain side Each little
blaze represented ID house that few hours be-
tore had sheltered family. Near where the
Mvshaunou lumber mills had stood the a.
600 600 feet of cut lumber was still burning.
and formed solid bed vi hre 81 tar as has
been at present ascartalucd the loss OF lie mas
been couGued to Que, poor woman, the Wl!e
of a woudsman, who was burned 10 her log
cabin 10 the forests. The escape Of the people
TO Philipsburg, distance ct four miles, IN
the box cars provided by Tralumastcr Wood,
was little short o.! miraculous. The railroad
ties we're burning 10 several places and mauy
of the cars caught fire on their passage through
the woods, but as the people were completely
covered in, and the passage out was made at
such great speed. the burning cars we've cxtn-
guished before much damage Was DONE Du-
ring the short period between the time the
people were boxed up III the cars and their ar
rival at PhilIipsburg their sutterlngs,, as de-
scribed by themselves, were fearful. 10 such
au extent did terror overcome the people that
mauy of them had to be dragged TO the cars
out of tho Moshauuon creek, in the waters of
which they had taken refuge. The scene 10
au hour after the flames had caught the houses
was appalling. Dense clouds Ut thick yellow
smoke formed over the town canopy through
which the SUI appeared like Il ball OF red fire,
and the burning forests formed on all sides an
apparently impeuetrabIr wall Of flames Scv-
eral leading citizens refused to leave the town.
rbey fought the flames and succeeded IN saw
ing, aided by the Tyrone hremcu, the Mctho-
dist and Catholic churches, aud Il few houses
in the immediate vicinity OF these buildings.
The rest OF the town has been entirely destroy
ed. The people have saved nothing, and out
of 800 inhabitants 900 at least ale utterly
destitute, without means Of any kind.
At = o clock p. III. Thursday the village OF
Hanlzdale, like Osceola built entirely OF wood,
took fire and more than half has been destroy
ed, and the fire is still raging 10 the woods for
miles around. Hundreds oil woodsmen have
lost their homes Thursday a large lumber OF
people succeeded in making their way to the
wndward of the fire, where they found safety
on bill full Of timber. These people are ut
tery destitute, as are also those who were
taken to Phipsburg. Iu all there are about
| POO people who have lost everything they
lad 10 tue world aud are now without means
of any kind The woods at the back OF Hanz-
dale are still burning, and 1t was believed FRI
day the town would be utterly destroyed. 1t
is thought that number of mines 10 the VIGIL
ity of Haurzdae must be destroyed.
A Pbillipsburg dispatch, Of yesterday date,
says: A large fire is raging IN the woods al the
southern cud OF this town, but as there Is
scarcely any wind there Is 10 immediate danger
of the town About 200 meu are out lighting
the flames The wooIs immediately adjoining
the town have been fired by citizens TO pre-
vent that muaus vi contact with houses when
the main fire in the forest approaches nearer.
A Milford Pa, dispatch, OF yesterdays
date says: The forest fires, which have been
raging in this county for the past few days and
sweeping everything 10 their course, yet sweep
on with unabated fury. The fire has passed
over vast territory, making its way lnto ten
out of the eleven townships in Pike county. Ii
has destroyed hundreds OF miles OF fencing aud
one or TWO valuable timber lands. Hundreds
of men, women aud children in their respec-
tive districts are fighting the flames night and
day, but owing to the continued high WIND
their efforts thus far have been entirely
futile. A few miles northwest of this place
the entire ncighborhood is one Vast body
of fire, and the people residing 10 the
back settlements are unable to get either
one way or the other The fire first commenced
in small log cabin, four miles north OF this
place, Sunday, which was broken into and Tired
by traups. The fire is now within few miles
Of this village, aud unless sudden rain comes
great damage is unprecedented.