The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-30
Graphic Sketches Of the Scenes
of Desolation.
THE LOSSES AND ASSURANCES.

OSHKOSH, Wis, April 90, 1875.
The HERALD correspondent reached this city.
after a nights journey, at seven O'Clock in the
morning. Rain had fallen heavily all night, and
dense smoke hung over the city, drifting lazly to
the southwest under the influence OF q light
northeast wind. The ruins were smoldering, and
in many places embers had been famed into
harmless flames.
THE ORIGIN OF THE CoNFLAGRATIoN.
The origin OF the nre is now thought TO have
been discovered. 1t appears that during the high
west wind that prevailed yesterday morning
sparks had been observed issuing from the smoke
stack OF spaulding & Peck's sawmill. situated at
the northeast corner OF Pine and Marion streets,
On the north bank OF the Upper Fox River. The
lumber district was intersected, at Main and
Dawson streets, with double line OF substantial
brick buildings, occupied by business men, ex-
tending north to Agona street. Half dozen
blocks east and west OF this brick barrier and
north OF the lumber region, was territory or
frame buildings, with an occasional stone house.
Plenty OF room was the rule, with ample garden
plots and trees for about one mile and half east
and west, forty feet road the average width.
EXTENT OF THE DEVASTATION.
North and south tins territory has been Lburned
eYer. and scarcely anything remains to tell or the
homes and the active business houses that for
merly stood there excepting an occasional BIT OF
party wall and strong structure or two, which,
BY the eccentricity characterizlng large fires,
have escaped destruction
FIRST ALARMS.
when the sparks were first seen attention was
called to the matter the danger being fully ap.
preclated by those living in the neighborhood;
but noTning further appears to have been done
although II is freely asserted that the owners OF
the mills lying east whose property was endan-
gered sent messages to Spaulding 4 Peek remon-
stratng against the recSlessness OF 1rlng on such
ldsy, and asking them 10 shut down at once.
About halI-past one O'Clock an alarm
Of IRE was sounded by locomotive on the st.
Paul Railroad track, which runs through the
heart OF this lumber district, IRE having been dis
covered issuing from the roof OF Morgan Brothers.
mill which adJoins that OF spaulding 4 Peck on
the cast. The opinion Is unanimous that this roof
was fred By spauiding & Pcck's smokestack.
THE FIREMES's WORK.
The Fire Department-viz., Steamers Doe,
Phoenix and Brooklyn and hand engine Niagara
appears TO nave been on the alert expecting
connagration These machines were in the nrst in
stance taken direct to the mills add placed in
position there but before they had opened 1t be-
came evident that new disposition must DC made
OF them, as the sparks we're dying furiously east
and covering the LUMBER piles and the roofs with
white hot embers. the Doe got stream OF
water from the river and began to play upon the
,urning mill or Morgan Brothers. The BrooEIyn,
whicn was at FIRST placed the bank OF the river,
,lso IN position q play on the mill, had TO be
Efthdrawn Ia a rev minutes IN consequence OF the
intense neat. which was 50 great as to crack
me bark OF the logs in the river 200
ect away. The Brooklyn was then taken 20 Divis-
ion street, hair dozen blocks cast, which was
beginning 70 De threatened, and from this point
nlsved UPON sawdust avenue. the lumber
region IS called, with sucn success that the nrc
was turncd northuard at Myers Mil, on the cor
per OF sawdust avenue ana Light street, hallway
10 Division street, result that was aided BY the
success OF MYERS workmen IN flooding tac
building with water nom the perforated iron
pipes on the roof.
The Pnenix was placed in position az the cor
per.of Pearl and Jackson streets. hair block
porih a lre burning building.
INC Niagara hand engine was engaged In gen
bral service.
Tue FIRE GAINING TuR MASTERY.
This was the situation Of Affairs at the time
me Ore at Morgan Brothcrs mill became
lncon,rolablc "a an incredibly short space
Df time the IRE had communicated to the lumber
yard OF James & steeiy. adjoining Morgan Brothers,
sawmiI where the cinders we're raining down in
a not tempest. While the water was still Kissing
upon the burning tmners the flames burst out IN
sxpecteuly IN James q steely's mil, east OF the
Iunber yard, driving the attacking .orce back on
sscw line.
The Doe, which had played on the mill OF Morgan
Brothers had in the meantime been compelled BY