The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-08-14
Whole Towns and Villages Destroyed b.
the Flames.


Whole Towns and Villages Destroyed by
the Flames.
I[GREEN BAY, Wis, August For
many weeks past this section and the
outlying country has been subjected TO
severe drouth, which has caused much
apprehension in the minds of residents,
as forest and prairie fires have prevailed
almost incessantly.
On Saturday night last small hur-
ricane urged on the flames with light
ming rapidty, and the brands from the
fiery stretches were sown broadcast by
the sweeping winds.
When Sunday morning came there
was no abatement of the flames, but
the wind had, however, moderated down
somewhat. II was then thought that
the worst was over, and the fears of the
people in the vicinity were considerably
quieted down by what they felt assured
was q favorable turn of affairs.
With this feeling the greater portion,
in fact nearly If not quite all the farmers
in the township left their homes to pur-
sue their avocation in the fields, leaving,
MS was natural, their wives and families
at home.
The flames sprung up again, however,
and the women were obliged to turn to
and do their utmost to fight off the un-
welcome visitor, which was then upon
them in all its fury.
But no matter how vigorously they
labored their efforts were unavailing.-
The fire fiend baf1led them at every point
which they attempted to guard. Driven
from one point to another they were
compelled to seek new places of safety,
with their children, as the flames swept
onward, licking up everything in their
| course.
Where in the morning there was
thriving town before many hours had
| passed there were no more than three
houses left standing to mark the village
site. Nothing was saved so far as to
household possessions; the women and
children barely escaping with their lives
and the clothes they wore. In many
instances these were so burned and torn
as to be of comparatively little service
in the matter of protection.
One of the citizens of the destroyed,
town, man named Henry Seifert, ,cAme
to Green Bay yesterday. From him the
particulars are cleaned so far as they are
at hand. Strange as it may seem, his
house miraculously escaped destruction,
while everything surrounding it--fences
and barns, etc.-were licked up by the
fire. He reports that his house is occu-
pied by many of the houseless and in
jured people, while Others were with
out place to lay their heads. There
was, he says, ploughed field near his
residence, and there while the flames
were accomplishing their fell work yes
terday, about thirty families congregated
to escape the ravages of the fierce
| flames.
These people We're from all portions Of
the desolated township, and their story
as to the conflagration was the same
Not one but had to relate that every
thing they had on earth had been swept
away and they left homeless and penni-
less.
1t is reported very circumstantially
that two entire families wele destroyed
by the fire, and three Others are missing.
Nothing has been heard as to their
whereabouts, and it is feared that they,
too, have been consumed.
There was settlement of seventeen
houses in what is known as Benjamin's
and there is not one of them left. Every
one was consumed. Not fence in the
entire township is left.
All the cattle, thus freed from their
confines, are roaming across the fields
wild with terror and sure of destruction
If they take shelter in the woods near al
hand, and which are still burning.
In every direction hundreds of dead