The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-06-16

and shingles began to fall about us, and ran
toward several with the water to extinguish
Them but no sooner would they fall than thew
would rise up again and fly on. No, SIR" said
Mr.. lhentine in response to question, "the
wind did not roll them along the ground. They
fell almost straight down, and went almost
straight up, and. mind you, we were in field
OF high corn None of Mr.. Dalentines family
were injured seriously.
While these things were transpiring those who
were in the hotel were fighting the fire with
water, and successfully. though the hotel was
not subjected to the worst Of the fire. storm,
buildings equally strong being blown to frag-
ments 10y the wind. In Verona Mills singular
fact was that in the town straw-ricks and highly
infiammabe old stables were unburned when
the sparks appeared TO be raining from all di-
rections. Another feature was the tendency of
he fire to move forward and not sidewise.
Fences at right angles with the fire had gaps
burned in them. indicating the width OF tho
'eire; fences running parallel with the fire wero
burned II In the track and II not were I'M
harmed except by the wind. Verona is rebuilt
and is a pretty little village Of perhaps 100 in
habitants. It's people are courageous and
thrifty, and many have lived in il twelve to
fifteen years. AT the mill was sawed the lumber
which took the prize at the Centennial ex-
hbition.
The country about Verona is billy the valleys
being dense swamps through which rough cor
duroy roads run their intermnable length. On
these swamp lands was great deal OF windfall,
as we'll as green undergrowth upon which tie
fires fed. Away from Verona the country in all
directions is more level, and with more swamp
lands.
n the course OF the fire from Bad Axe to
Verona no lives were lost, nor were there any
fatalities west Of Bad Axe, and but few north
or south. From Verona TO Sand Beach, on the
40 tarv, hnr ht,t faxu lvaa Loaf pY,f ~
the north and northwest OF Sand Beach about
thirty persons were suifocated or burned to
death. Immediately south of Verona, about
four or five miles, the loss OF life was the great
est. From Verona, southwark, the Times ex-
plorer proceeded along one Of the worst corr
duroy roads possible, through swamp which
presented a scene OF frghtful desolation.
Trees bare OF branches, charred from bottom
to top, fallen trunks uprooted, small second
growth of timber broken and massed together
III inextrlcable confusion, through which "
traveller could scarcely find his way, were visi-
BILE in every direction, with not leaf of foliage.
Under this the soft ooZy ground, covered in
the lower places with green, stagnant water,
completed a picture that no description
can portray Beyond rose a steep hill,
which, assembled, unfolded scene OF quiet
agricultural life, new farm-houses, fences and
barns, and growing fields Of thrifty wheat and
rich, green meadows On one side OF the road
way was a man building a rail fence. Stopping
| to talk with him, the fact was learned that he
was Scotchman, with whiskers trimmed after
the fashion Of the Lone Fisherman a blue coat,
and a touch OF Calvinsm in his nature. He
had lost great deal because he was well of,
and lamented his loss more complainingy than
| did those who had less to lose and not so much
left. At this point barn was picked up and
| carried mil e, aud tumbled down ablaZe on
top of a saw-mill, which also burned. Another
half-milc, and the house OF Joseph Fayner was
reached. This family, with q neighbor and
! three children, went into an open field. lay
down on their faces and escaped Mrs. Fayner
| described the scene as one OF terrible grandeur.
| When the fire was above her she said it looked
! like one solid blaze, and was as red as blood.
| She, like others previously seen, said that an
! immense pressure seemed to weigh them TO the
| ground.
John Freeburg, German, lived with his wife
and ak children across the road half mile, In
a little open, surrounded with "slashing."
| When the fire came, he started for a neighbors,
a. supposed, with his family. When near the
edge of the clearing, all succumbed to the
smoke and beat and fell down. Their bodies,
biistered but not burned, Wore found next day
| by neighbor. The dead wife was locked III
the arms of the blackened corpse of her hus-
band the children were near by, and the baby
| close to its parents with its burned hands
reaching toward the sky. Freeburg's little
| opening is bright and green in the fair spring
weather, sloping gently to the east. About 1t
| -
| dred feet high, stand silent and forbidding, and
as yet no occupant is found for the spot, at
tached to which Is such a terrible recollection.
A mile further on is the new house Of John
Kubock. Kubocki is Pole, and when seen
was blowing near his house with a new yoke OF
oxen, supplied by the "relief." He is as fine a
specimen of physical development one often
meets, and possessed Of a clear head. AT the
time OF the tire re WAS at his house, and sent
| his family eastward ahead Of the fire, while he
remained to save his house ard barn. The first
fire that caught hc described the same as the
"ball fire" described by Mr.. Baentlne. He
said he first noticed fame light or his fence
and fire 1t ; this he put out next on stump
then on many stumps, and one near his barn.
This latter he extinguished. Then ball OF
the same kind of fire lighted III some pea
straw III his open barn. Selling bucket OF
water he threw 1t on tho fire, when the blaze
few in every direction, and in an instant the
barn ablaze all over. In describing the fire
he said it was like the flame from alcohol and
he was confident it was not blazing wood, for
he saw such pieces falling frequently after
ward. His family, meanwhile had gone
about a quarter of a mile ahead and found
the bridge burned, and could go no further.
His baby and his wiies mother, Mrs. Cuza,
were suffocated at this piece. When the fire
passed over them at the bridge the sky was red
and like a sheet OF fire. For three days after
the fire Kubock lay In a neighbours house, per-
fectly blind, without food for himself or family,
when a preacher brought them some bread and
butter. In the same party at the bridge Simon
Ruble's little girl was burned to a crisp by her
clothes taking fire. Frances Cuza, pretty
faced Polish girl, with ladyhke manners and
good English speech, wearing Derby hat with
some tips Of peacock feathers in it. evidently
"relief" goods, told the inquirer about the
scene at the bridge and the death OF her mother
(the mother also of Mrs. KubockD She said
her father was just beside her, and her mother
died of suffocation IN his arms. The girls lip
quivered. her voice faltered, and her eyes
filed with tears as she said 1--WE did not
know my mother dying till it all
over" She said the fire preceded by a
wind-storm, and that lights blue, red and
green, were seen IN all directions, and the at
mosphere about them smelled of sulphur that
stones an inch in diameter sld red-hot fell
among them, on their clothes, and burned
them, showing as proof a we-shaped arm
frightfully SCARED from the wrist TO the elbow.
The story OF the death of Frank Locks wife
and five children was also told by the same
person, and it so happened that our buggy had
/ stopped within ten feet of where they had per-
ished. This poor woman lived westward
short distance, and was attempting to reach
her mothers, a halfmile east, WI h blinc
confidence that her parents roof would be
safe refuge. Her husband stayed to fight the
fire away from the house, and escaped. Wher
halfway to her mothers the fire overlook Mrs