Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-05-07
A Woman and Her Two Children
EncircIed by a FIrcin Ihe Noun
tafms and DESTROYED

a " mn ana Her Two C3RaAOrem
E~ncircIed by a Fire in the TOun-
taIns and Destroyed.
Special to the Courier-JOurnal.
LITTLE Rock, April 25.-FOr
a fortnight past extensive fires have
been raging in the forests on the
mountains in Central and Northern
Arkansas, destroying large areas of
valuable timber, and, in at least
one instance, Involving a fearful
sacrifice of human lives. From an
emigrant, who escaped the horrible
fate which overlook nearly all his
family, your correspondent learned
the following thrilling yet melan-
choIy particulars relative to the
tragedy: Early in February last,
NJ. Dement, left WetsOl county,
West Virginia, for LOuiSina VIA,
Arkansas. lie was accompanied
by his family, consisting of his wife
and four children. They travelled
in two wagons, a BOY, aged twelve,
taking charge of one and Dement,
himself the other. Nothing note
worthy occurred on the journey till
the party reached this state, when
they encamped Gil the mountains
in Stone county, and intended to
rest several days, as they were all
worn out with fatigue. The site
chosen for a camp was a high alti-
tude overlooking the surrounding
country, and vely difficult of as
cent. Owing to the scarcity of wa
ter, it was thought advisable to
keep one of the teams and wagon
at a spot some 200 or 800 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 flames occasionally burst out
from the dense woods half a mile
or so south of them, and expressed
some concern. His wife, however,
did not agree with him, believing
that the under-brush had caught
fire through the ca~relessness of hun
tiers, and that the flames would
burn out shortly. On the evening
of the third day Dement,, taking
one of the teams and two children,
boys, aged respectively eleven and
thirteen, went to the base of the
mountains for the purpose of fish
ing, leaving his wife and two chill
dren in charge of the camp. He
did not begin ascending the noun
tains till near shutdown, 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
boys, who said: "Ohl papa, the
woods are blazing!" When walk
ing ahead he observed that the fire
had reached a point directly be-
meath the camp, and was climbing
the mountain side with terrific
speed. The roar of the advancing
flames could be distinctly heard,
and the cracking of the burning
pine and the crash of falling timber
rang on the summer air like a voice
OF uOom. Turning the wagon he
dispatched the boys with it toward
the base of the mountain and has
tened forward on foot, hoping TO
save his wife and two children who
were further above, perhaps at that
moment unconscious Of danger.
When within a short distance of
the camp he shouted wildly and
succeeded in arOusing the woman
and children, who appeared to be
Supplied with terror and incapable
of making an effort to escape; but
it was too late, n circle of flames
crept around the mountain peak,
shutting off ingress or egreSs, and
girding it as with a crown. One
instant the fire shot upward in long
narrow tongues of flame; the next it
swept across the narrow area, de-
strOying the wife and her two chill
dren, two horses, a wagon and eV-
erything that lay in its path. De-
ment 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 noun
tains. He was badly singed. He
a V it was a terrible experience
and the memory of the moment
when the flames enveloped his wife
and children will haunt him fOrev-
er. He left this city to-day with
his two remaing boys, continuing
his journey overland to Louisiana.