St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1881-09-17

BURNED DISTRICT.
From Special Telegram to Courier j ournal.
George Mcdonald, Minden, Sanilac
county, tells a narrowing tale. Over
200 families are homeless in that section,
and suffering from want 'of food and
clothing.
John Ballentine, of Verona mills, says
that 50 lives were known to be lost in
the neighborhood of Sand Beach. The
fire suddenly reached Verona Mills on
Monday, and the town was soon wiped
out. The wind was SO strong that Mr..
Ballentine and his wife were picked up
and her husband We're found lying
against tree dead, the woman being
partly delivered of child.
The devastation caused by the fires
of 1871 is nothing in comparison to the
fires of the past few days in the vicinity
of Richmondville and Western, Fores-
ter and Marion townships. Reliable
information leads me to say that I'D
ward OF 80 per cent. persisted in the
flames. There wasnO escape for them.
The woods and ground were so dry
that ne warning OF danger was given.
Faster than race-hOrse came the
fire. 1t would embrace house or barn,
with its contents, and away to the. next.
Persons who have been through the
terrible ordeal say that in ten minutes
from the time the fire struck there
would be no vestige of the house left.
have just retura ed from a trip through
the b0rned district, and q description OF
the sights would make the readers
blood turn cold. In many instances
men, women and children are lying on
their faces in the road, where they had
fallen when overtaken by the tire, and
children are seer lying Oh logs, where
they had clambered for safety. There
was no finding each other when once
separated. Many took refusein wells,
thinking to escape, but in almost every
instance were sutfocated. The details
of the disaster in Huron are as bad as
here. believe that when the returns
are in, 1000 persons will be found to
haze persisted in the flames. Forester
township will turn out Thursday to
bury the dead cattle, sheep and horses,
the stencil from which is tmbearable.
Rev. w. T. Arlington found Is dead
bodies near Baskerville. %Only five
buildings are left between that place
anti Minden. eshn Flytewager's family,
seven children and wife, were all burned
together in Paris township. with Is
Others. The Day family We're burned,
with Morris Clifford, wife and child
Aman and wsman are lying dead in
the road between DonnerG mill and
Tyre. Fifteen families were burned in
Moore and Argyle.
FIVE HUNDRED FAMILIES Bl RNED OUT.
Five hundred families are reported at
Minden as having been burned out.
A woman and seven head of cattle
we're burned ct Smiths mill, half a
mile from Tyre. Wherever house is
LETT people flock to it like sheep to a
field, some places as many as six fami-
lies being in a log shanty. They must
have relief from below or great suffer-
ing willi.be the result. I saw many
families to-day who hada't had one
meal since. Monday, and who do not
kaow when they will get one. Their
teams are all gone, their COWS and other
stock burned-desolation stares them in
the face. They talk about their mis-
fortunes, and many of them say that,
bad as it is, it might he great deal
worse. 'They.are
CHAD TO GETAWAY WITHiTHEIR LIVES.
Many of the men are Canadians who
have been over but q short time and |
nave just begun to get matters in COM
EOa.able shape Many need medicine
assistance.