Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-07-21
NO. III
aMiseellanspMs.
THE TERR0RS OF A FOREST FIRE.
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF A RECENT
SCENE IN MICHIGAN.

People wonder how a wilderness of
trees, each tree clothed in its spring dress
can become q sea of flame, but everything
is food for forest fire. If the first sheet
of flame does not smite the green pine or
devour the leaves of the beech and maple
it parches and, dries them for the flames
to follow, and the stout pine, shooting a
hundred feet high. becomes beacon
light for moment, then sways, totters
and goes down with an awful crash, to-
burn until a heap of ashes alone marks
the earth.
Your correspondent was in Osceola
county when the first fires began. In the
midst OF wilderness of pine and thicket,
miles away from village or hamlet, was a
pioneers cabin. The clearing around it
comprised about ten acres. Some of the
ground was ready for corn, and some of
1t had been sowed and planted, while the
forest around was so damp and green that
one would have smiled at the idea of great
sheets of flame climbing those tall trees
waving fifty feet above them. One night
some hunters built grand fire against
heap of dry logs. The next day they
were miles away, and the fire had begun
to creep. Little tongues OF flame reached
out alter dry sticks and limbs, larger
tongues followed them, and before night
the lire had control of an acre of forest.
That was start enough. At midnight the
wind came up fresh, and the heat OF the
fire drove through the forest, scorching
and baking trail for the red flames.
I'm afraid there is q fire in the woods
to the west of u.s." said the pioneer one
morning as we stood at his cabin door.
We could scent the odor OF burning
trees and leaves, and there was a smoky
look to the forest. At noon the odor was
stronger, the smoke denser, and the live
stock around the clearing began to exhibit
signs of alarm. When the oxen were
unyoked TO be fed they turned their heads
to the west, scented the air for moment,
and then charged across the clearing to
the east at full speed, being out OF sight
in two minutes.
That means Danger said the pioneer,
in low voice, and he turned pale. He
believed the fire to be in a large swamp
, ten miles away, but hardly thought it pos
| sible for the green forest to ignite. We
| sat down to dinner, meaning 70 hunt for
| the oxen afterward; but before the meal
was over there was fresh cause for alarm.
A buck and two does dashed into the
clearing, closely followed by fox. score
of rabbits and dozen coons and wood
chueks. The deer ran to the far edge of
the clearing as we went out, but the 9th
er animals scarcely noticed us.
You go forward as far as you can, and
see what the danger is, and wife and |
will get ready for rum" said the pioneer
as the smoke grew thicker.
At that moment fresh alarm and
new warning reached us. There came a
roar like the sea gives out when rushing
in upon broken beach. We had not
heard it before. 1t was a steady, terrible
roar. rising above all other sounds. A
coming whirlwind might have created
the same sound. The rush of vast herd
of butfaloes might have created such
roar. 1t was awful The ground trem-
bled, the smoke became blacker, and the
heat was like the rush of air from hot
oven.
1t isn't mile away--we must run for
our lives" - shouted the settler.
He had three children. picked up
boy of seven. The pioneer seized his
girl, two years younger, and the wife took
the sleeping babe from the cradle There
wasn't time to take down a spare garment
from the wall--to pick up a cherished gift
or a treasured relic.
This way-hury heard the pion-
eer call out, and, gasping for breath and
blinded by the smoke, l pushed on after
him.
The roar was louder and grander and
more terrible. Failing upon US and
around us were little brands of fire, and
to the west, half mile away. was wall
Of L,,,, I.,al 4. i'll.
which was coming down upon the clear
ing at the rate OF six miles an hour. The
wall of fire was twelve miles long, and
the waters of Lake Erie would have
scarcely drenched it out.
deer ran against me as staggered
after the pioneer. More than once | stum-
bled against the small wild animals rush
ing here and there through the clearing.
My hair and whiskers were scorching, and
my clothing was on fire in dozen places
when we reached the outdoor cellar.
place dug into hillside about four hun.
dred feet from the house. 1t was part
cave, part structure, but well covered
with earth, and almost free from smoke.
The. two children had passed through all
right but the babe was so nearly sutfocat-
ed that we had to work to save its life.
just before the flames reached the
clearing the ground trembled as it did
around Gettysburg when 500 pieces Of ar
tilery Numbered away tor hours. The
smoke drove ahead, leaving me pretty
fair view of the cabin and clearing for five
or six minutes. Birds dropped down and
died. The deer rushed around in circles,
sometimes running full against stumps.
The smaller animals roared, and barked,
and fought.
When the flames reached the edge of
The clearing, 500 feet from our cave, the
ground in front OF us fairly baked. The
wild animals fell down aud died, steam
rose from the green stumps in clouds for
a moment, and then fire broke out. We
wondered if the flames would leap the
clearing, but that question was speedily
decided. The wall of fire roared and
quivered. rose and fell, and the next mo-
ment was driving ahead on the other side.
The flames seemed to have reached
right over the ten acres and grasred the
forest beyond. Our cave was like an
oven. The green roof began TO stew and
burn, and in ten minutes we were almost
as wet as if we had fallen into the river,
fContinued on fourth maze