South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1881-09-16
THE FORREST yrIIss..S

Human Beings Roasted Alive..-Ferful Des,ruc.
ton OF Proper,y--Forty-ive resd Bodies
Found Within II Mile
DETnnir. MIcn.. Sept. 9.-D.tails
continue TO c'rnc al relativ. 20 ...: -.
"t'uc'ini ~ t"c>v fires. ;iu:uu :.al
o'aii!c Counties nave nrcn the priac,-
pat theatre Of tEe greatest dcSLrustiy,
anu suffering. An cye-wiLncss states
that darkness ana II copper coiurca sky
proceeded tho approach OF tie fire. later
the sky changed TO Il deep red, and Mon.
Gay AFTERNOON 1t became so dark that
lanterns were necessary for people to
hnu their way. This condition OF af
Il > continued until ubnu; s O'clock
Wednesday morning., when l:e wind
shiited iivn west 10 north. cooling the
air and bringing l. slight relief. In the
woouS were many scoiched and chacfc!
bodies, wni:h presented Il revolving al
pear"ncc. The high winds tha, prevail
Cd cut off nearly every avenue Of csc..;c,
and large burning masses woulL b.. If
'cd up bodily d borne along for great
distance. In many instances these burn.
my masses started Gres in fresh places.
The skill and courage Of man seemed
lmpotent TO combat with such flames,
and the dying people were c1ush. in the
lire traps and roasted. One farmer who
was blowing with his oxen u few miles
from Sa"dbeacl,,pcrcc,ved the approach.
ING drIkness and started for his house.
On reaching home he found that his
wife had gone 10 a neiyhhor's. lie then
took two oil his children, his eldest
daughter taking three others. Before
going many rods they found themselves
cut of by the flames. The farmer then
turned in another direction and escap-
cd with the TWO children. His daunh-
ter and tile other three children we're
found next day all in heap. charred
beyond recognition. Up to Wednesday
night fortv.:ive bodies had been found
within mile. In Paris township many
are missing. most OF them Poles. The
whole settlement, buildings, fences,
crops, &c., was swept clean. In Della.
ware township, in all the country south
of Forestville. from the lake seven miles
back, there is hardly anything left, not
one house to the square mule. They
we're new settlers. and had small clear
lnss, and the fire swept them like a hur-
rlcane. They lost all they hsd and owe
Tor their places. Many of them fled TO
the lake. The shore.lne has been
crowded with human beings. cattle, anal
every thing that could get TO tho water
Eye. witnesses from ForcsLville say that
tn, utmost confusion prevailed. MANY
toIia not see. One man who had los,
his all was both blind and crazy. and
had 10 be led TO the lake.
North OF SAM &C the fire on Monday
night was terrible, sweeping away al
most everything, but it is made to leave
the houses.
SUFFERING AND DEsTITUTIoN.
A large party OF men hay. como to
ury the tcil beasts in Forester town.
ship. Dr. lloyt, who returned for more
medicine, reported several badly burned.
my are SO blind they had TO he led.
alIse sAssyithout Gaod. a number ca
pfrlies hf-S -.issalt scnef w1th ~
clothing, shoes All melicine. More
help must come Quick, rs much suffer
iag will cnsue. Thay have no fur or
provisions.
WELCOME RAIN.
On Wvdnes lay nigh, the burning dis
trict between DecKcrsvilie md S,rd
Beach was visited by rain storm, which
put on. q considerable portion OF the
fires and cleared the atmosphere. Tie
latest reports arc that the fires appear
to be aba.ing. A dispatch from Port
Austin, at the top Of the burned PENN
sula, sums up tho general destruction as
follows: Tha loss of lives by the forest
fires on Monday anil Tuesday is estima'
ted at from 200 20 800. Tho following
villages we're burnei: Bad Axe. Fero-
M, Forest Bay, RicLmondville, Charles
ton. Anderson, Deckersvilie. Harrison
Vile and Sandusky.
C1Sc1wNATI, Sept. ,'.?.-Tho chanbe
O! Commerce has ordered the appoint
ment of committee to solicit aid TO
the sufferers from the forest fires il
Michigan.