The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-09-16
DEVASTATED By FIRE.

| Ox Ia
Families Driven from Their Homes, and
| Houses, Barns, Etc, Destroyed by the
| Recent Forest Fires near Upton, CAN
Less q LIE and Property.
A Montreal special of September
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
counties of this State. are overwhelmed with
| sudden catastrophe. On Sunday the farm
ers and their happy wives and children assem-
| Dled from the country round ut the parish
cnnrch, looking well and prosperous, content
ed with harvest, better than the average,
Sandav n ss1wed away IN their barns On
were flying homeless and destitute along the
roads, pursued by q relentless fire that had
s sna enc AWAY away their homes and happiness,
fury. Upton has been the center OF a very
wealthy agricultural GLASS, comprising
many French Canadians, who having got
the remainder Of their days among the
quiet scenes of their native land. To
these the caiamity will be double bitterness.
AS nearly rs can be estimated the tire has
unnOused one hundred and twenty-five fami-
lies, or about eight hundred and fifty souls.
These are at present huddled together in the
parishes, in barns and sheds, and with their
neighbors who have been fortunate enough to
escape. One man named Mallette, who has
premises, says the distress of the women and
children would draw tears from the most
stO!1d. The fires have lasted for the last week,
and were caused by the burning of stubble
and trees. On Monday afternoon a strong
breeze sprang up and famed the flames in to
dimensions beyond human control. This wind
6sT the Of Upton
tantS, SO that the risk winch 1t 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
against the sidesof stable, his hands in his
pockets. He stated that his name was ].
grain and one thousand bundles of hay, had
been consumed, with his poultry, cattle and
farming implements. BY desperate exertions
blank enough for HIM. Driving ahead, we
came to the house where Lewis Cliche, for
merry the weakhiest man in the parish, was
scorched, and his ears, nose and hands tel ribly
Iurnt. He had one of the finest houses of the
range. and had stacked the pr. duce Of two
farms into his barns. He had saved his family,
but his cattle. swine. horses, carriage and house
we've consumed. Further along The load we
met L. Cllchc, Jr., and inquired what he had
SsNCu. xuTOWIlS Opcu us COut uC eNCltlLn01:
"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 6y al save the CATTLE which L. We're bel.
of no insurance. A strong north wind was
blowing, aud it was hard to ret. ain from chat
tering with cold, but we soon experienced a
change as we drove INTO the burniny district.
Pelting ashes, and cinderS, and hot blasts of
air warm. us up, while the startled horse
sped forward with more speed than was pleas
ant over the smoking coruurOy roads beneath.
DIR. Gauthier, who 81 narrowly escaped with
several scars from the bush, met us and warned
us not to go too far, as the wind was rising.
Here and there along the road stood the u1en-
the all cOnQucriny fire.
1t was sad sight to view the blackened RI.
ins Of 80 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
roasting in the trenches. The place where
stood the house of Currier was reached. The
barns and stables had been leveled to the
where the charred remains of the grandfather,
his son and grandson were discovered. The
grandfa' her had lain himself out in a ditch,
that he stood on his head and feet. Under
him frightened hare had taken refuge, and
when the poor old man was moved it darted
life saved BY the death Of a human being.
Along the road were frequently met dreary
cavalcades returning from their hopeless
search in the ruins Pierre Cote gave vivid
narrative. Like similar case in the great
fire in Chicago. his house stands in the mid
die of the burnt district and is the only one
remaining a, Ing for miles around BY his exertions
with his family, but had not gone far when
he determined to see the last of it. The fire
had taken hold in several places, and he then
wished To make his escape, but saw the impos-
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
heat was most intense. One of his horses was
very badly burnt, and will probably die. This
family did not leave until they could not see
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
wind was blowing making the smolderins
flames shoot up on every hand, Illuminating
the darkness of the night. At dawn we set out
for the st. Charlotte road. where even the logs
of the corduroy road are fast consuming. For
miles the drive was unrelieved by the sight of
u human habitation. A ditch crossing the
road is covered with planks, and in this cavity
Two men named Roy and Robinette were
escaping with their families on cart and some
articles of household furniture. The violent
proportions, blew Roy and two of the women
Off the cart, with 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 ditch was their
only chance, and into it they crawled, and
stuffed the entrance with the feather bed. The
whole night long, the old man assured US, was
spent in repeating Ave Marias and pater nos
tiers.
At a small clearing of three or four houses,
saved by the greatest exertiOn, fifteen or
twenty families were found huddled together.
Some of the men had gone to ST. LibOire,
where q merchant, ]. B. Leroux, had offered
behind were in hourly terror of the effects il
= strong wind were 10 arise. On the Ste. Ger.
main road, which leads northeast, while Ste
Helene goes to the north aud Ste Charlotte to
the northwest of Upton the same dismal tales
were told, whole families hOuseless and sub
sfsting on the generosity of few neighbors.
The fine stretch of woodland fiOm Ste.
Dominique to DrummOndville, about thirty
miles in length has been laid in ashes. and
miles have escaped. The damage done is
about three hundred thousand dollars, and
fitted hundred people are homeless. The
loss to the soil is almost irretrevable. The
insane policy of burning the bush may at
length be understood, but right ut the border
of Upton village, yesterday. an old man named
Garveau started to burn the rubbish and
capped. The astonshed anger of the villagers,
proved too much for Garveau and
his little illumination. II is difficult to get
bread in Upton, SO great is the demand. Some
means of assistance must be organized for the
destitute families who have nothing for the
winter. 1t Is probable that great numbers
will be forced to leave the desplated district
and take up their residence in Canadian or
American cities for the winter.