The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-09-16
Thrilling Account OF the Recent For
est Fires Near Upton, eau.

est Fires Near Upton, eau.
A Montreal special of September 8
to the Chicago Times gives the follow
ing thrilling account of the terrible
devastation wrought by bush fires in
the vicinity of Upton. Can:
The people of Upton, in one of the eastern
1 counties of this STATE. are overwhelmed with
sudden caIas.ropne; IN d n r tne assan
bled from the country round at the parish
! church, looking well and prosperous, content
| ed with a harvest, better than the average,
carefully slowed away in their barns. I'm
| Monday night many of these same families
| were flying homeless and destitute along the
| snatched away their homes and happiness,
| and was seeking TO involve them, TOO; IN It's
fury. Upton has been the center OF very
| wealthy agricultural class, comprising
many French Canadians, who having got
| wealth in the States returned 10 pass
| the remainder of their days among the
| quiet scenes of their native land. To
these the calamity will be a double bitterness.
AS nearly as can be estimated the 1re has
unhoused one hundred and twenty-five faml-
lies, or about eight hundred and nifty souls.
| These are at present huddled together i'll the
small village of Upton and surrounding
parishes, in barns anu sheds, and with their
neighbOrs who have been fortunate enough TO
escape. One man named Maliette, who has
harbored thirty-six of the refugees on ms
premises, says the distress OF the women ana
|
stoiid. The fires have lasted for the last week,
and were caused by the burning of stubble
and trees. On Monday afternoon strong
breeze sprang up and famed the flames INTO
dimensions beyond human control. This wind
fortunately blew from the village of Upton,
which contained about one thousand lnnaol-
tants, SO that the risk which II ran was con-
siderably diminished.
The devastating work of the flames has
been along three principal roads-Ste Char-
lotte, ste Helene and ste. German. Last
night the Times correspondent drove out on
the Ste. Helene road along The route OF the
greatest destruction. On starting man was
seen, the very picture OF despair, leaning
against the side of a stable, his hands in his
pockets. He stated that his name was j.
Touhon, and that his two barns, hiied with
grain and one thousand bundles Of hay, had
been consumed, with his poultry, cattle and
farming implements. By desperate exertlons
he had saved his house, but the future looked
blank enough for him. Driving ahead we
came to the house where Lewis Cliche, for
merly the wealthiest man in the parish, was
stopping. He appeared with his na1r all
scorched, and his ears, nose and hands terribly
burnt He had one of the finest houses OF the
range, and had stacked the produce OF Two
farms into his barns. He had saved his family,
but his cattle, swine, horses, carriage ana mousse
were consumed. Further along the road we
met L. Cliche, Jr., and inquired what ne mad
saved. Throwing open his coat ne exclaimed:
THAT is ALL" When the fire was increasing
he was three miles away, and rushing through
the burning forest, he found his home ADAM
doned by all save the cattle, which were bel
|
of no insurance. A strong north wind was
blowing and it was hard to refrain from chat
tering with cold, but we soon experienced a
change as we drove into the burning district.
PeIting ashes and cinders, and hot blasts of
air warmed us up, while the startled horse
sped forward with more speed than was pleas
ant over the smoking corduroy roaos Denea ii
several scars from the bush, met us and warned
us not to 20 too far, as the wind was rising.
Here and there along the road stood the uten-
| oiic of Al abandoned
the all conquering fire.
1t was sad sight to view the blackened rli-
fms of so many homes. What maple, poplar,
hemlOck and tamarack adorned the landscape
was naught but smoking cinders. The
scorched fields of grain and the burnt crops
of corn, potatoes and oats could be seen on
either hand, with cattle, sheep and swine
roasting in the trenches. The place where
stood the house of Currier was reached. Inc
barns and stables had been leveled to the
ground. The driver pointed out the spot
where the charred remains of the grandfather,
his son and grandson were discovered. Inc
grandfather had lain himself out in a dltcn'
but the extreme heat had curled him up SO
that he stood on his head and feet. U nder
him a frightened hare had taken refuge, and
when the poor old man was moved 1t darteo
life saved by the death of human being
Along the road were frequently met dreary
cavalcades returning from en- tnel ao nopeil Sid
. narrative. Like similar case IN the great
fire in Chicago, his house stands In the MD
ID
: remaining for miles around. BY his eXertlons
he had saved everything. AT the first he he'd
with his family, but had not gone far when
he determined, to see the last OF II. Inc nre
had taken hold in several places, and he then
wished to make his escape, but saw the lmpos-
sibility of so doing; so he set to work with
what water he had and with the earth around.
He disconnected his fences and chopped down
the beams of his barn, that had lgnlted Inc
heat was most intense. One OF MS horses was
very badly burnt, and will probably die. This
! could
each other in the house, on account OF the
, great smoke.
The return to Upton gave us some idea of
the terrible grandeur of some of the scenes in
. a brush fire. Night had fallen, and strong
wind was blowing, making the smolder1ng
flames shoot up on every hand liz sn, an;
for the ST. Charlotte road, where even the logs
: of the corduroy road are fast consuming. FOL
: miles the drive was unrelievedby the sight oil
!, a human nabitation. ditch crossing the
road is covered with planks, and in this cavity
! thus formed, three human lives were saved
! Two men named Roy ana hoDlnette mert
, articles of household furniture. Inc Vlolenl
. wind which caused the fire to assume so great
. proportions, blew Roy and two of the women
IN the cart with a feather bed, into the road
The frightened horse could not be stopped
. and they were left to the mercy of providence
: and their own wits. The road often was tneli
, only chance, and into it they crawled, anC
, stuffed the entrance with the feather bed The
I whole night long, the old man assured us, waS
spent in repeating ave Mdrlds anu pa1ei nus
, tiers.
AT a small clearing of three or four houses,
saved by the greatest exertiOn, hfteen OF
! twenty families were found huddled together
: Some of the men had gone to st. Liboire
! where a merchant, j. b. Lerioux, had offered
TO supply them with bread Those remaining
" behind were in hourly terror of the effects 4
: a strong wind were 10 arise. On the Ste. Ger
I | main road, which leads northeast, while ste
! Helene goes to the north and Ste Charlotte Il
: ! the northwest of Upton, the same dismal tale;
were told, whole families houseesS and SUD
. sistin0 on the generosity of few neighbors-
The fine stretch of woodland from ste
| Dominique TO Drummondville, about thirty
! miles in length, has been laid in ashes, an6
hut a few farnl-houses in a width of ffteeI
. | miles have escaped. The damage done II
= about three hundred thousand dollars, ant
| ifteed hundred people are homeless. Int
! loss to the soil is almost irretrievable. TIT
insane policy of burning the bush may a
: | length be understood, but right At the pOrdel
. | of Upton village, yesterday, an old man named
q | Garveau started TO burn the rubbish anC
stubbe of his farm, which had luckily es
capped The astonished anger OF the villagers
however proved too much for Garveau ant
, | his little Illumination. IL is dlfhcult 10 Re
! | bread in Upton, so great is the demand. some
! means of assistance must be organized Tor tn
! destitute families who have nothing for thu
, ! winter. 1t is probable that great number
will be forced to leave the desolated distrlc
I and take up their residence in Canadian Oh
2 | American cities for the winter.