The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-04-30
FIERCE FLAMES.
A Family in Arkansas is
Burned to Death.
The woods take Fire and
Destroy their Camp.

/ LITTLE Rock, Ark. April 30-Early in
February last Issac n. Dement, left Witze
county, Vast Virginia, for Louisiana via
Arkansas. He was accompanied by his
| family, consisting of his wife and -four
children They travelled in two wagons, a
boy aged 12 taking charge of one and De
ment himself of the other. Nothing note
worthy occurred on the journey till the
parties reached this State, when they en-
camped on the mountains in Stone county,
intending to rest several days, as they
were worn out with fatigue. The site
chosen for camp was a high altitude
overlooking the surrounding country, and
very difficult of ascent. Owing to the
scarcity of water it was thought advisable
to keep one of the teams and wagon at a
spot some two or three hundred yards be-
low, near a spring, while the other was
taken to the camp above. The second day
after going into camp, Dement, noticed
that the air was heavy with smoke and
that sheets of flame occasionally burst out
from the dense woods half a mile or so
south of them, and expressed some con.
Germ. His wife, however, did not agree
with him, believing that the underbrush
HAD CAUGHT FIRE
through the carelessness of hunters. and
that the flames would burn out shortly. On
the evening of the third day Dement,, tax
ing one of the teams and two children
boys, aged respectively eleven and thirteen
went to the base of the mountain for the
purpose of fishing, leaving his wife and
two children in charge of the camp. He
did not begin ascending the mountain till
near sundown, and before he was half way
up, darkness had shut down upon the
earth. The first intimation of danger he
had was caused by the remark of one of
the bows, who said, 20 papa, the woods
are blazing!" and when looking ahead he
observed that the fire had reached point
directly beneath his camp, and was climbing
the mountain side with terrific speed The
roar of the advancing flames could be dis
tinctlv heard The cracking of the burn
ing pine and the crash of falling timber
rang out on the summer air like the voice
of doom. Leaving the wagon, he dis
patched the boys with it toward the base
of the mountain, and hastened forward on
foot, hoping
HE SAVED HIS WIFE
and two children, who were still further
above, perhaps at that moment uncon-
scious of danger When within n short
distance of the camp he shouted wildly,
and succeeded in arousing the women and
children, who appeared to be stupefied with
terror and incapable of making an effort to
escape but it was too late-a circle OF
flames had crept around the mountain peak,
shutting off igress or egress, and girdling
it as with crown. One instant the fire
shot upward in long, narrow tongues, the
next it swept across the narrow area, des-
troying the wife and her two children, two
horses, wagon and everything that lay in
its path. Dement, was forced to beat a
hasty retreat and reached the foot of the
mountain again only after plunging through
a line of fire which was making its way
across the mountains. He was badly sing
ed. He says it was a terrible experience,
and that the memory of the moment when
the famed enveloped his wife and children
will haunt him forever. He left this city
to-day, with his two remaining boys, CON
tinuing his journey overland to Louisiana.