Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2012, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== Source: The New York Herald, October 16, 1871 - page 8 THE WESTERN FIRES ----------- TERRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE ----------- Immense Destruction of Property ------------------------------- Cities, Villages and Towns En- tirely Swept Away ----------------- Great Suffering Among the Survivors --------- THE AWFUL STORY OF PESHTIGO --------- THE FIRES STILL RAGING --------- WISCONSIN --------- Villages Destroyed, Two Hundred and Fifty Persons Burned to Death and Seventy Fatal- ly Injured. A correspondent of the Toledo Herald writes as follows: Oct. 11, 1871. I have just returned from what was once Peshtigo, whither I went yesterday, that I might be able to give to the readers of the Herald a correct account of the destruction of that place. The village was situated on Peshtigo river, seven miles from Green Bay. It was a nice little town of about two thou- sand inhabitants, quite regularly laid out, had fine hotels, stores, churches, schools &c., besides the large factory owned by the Peshtigo Manufacturing company, a sash, door and blind factory and foun- dry also owned by the same company, who owned nearly every building in the town. The factory was devoted to the manufacture of pails, tubs, broom handles &c., and gave employment to about seven hundred hands in the different branches. The town is neatly surrounded by fine forests, the suburban portions being built "among the pines." The inhabitants have for the past ten days been fight- ing fire in the woods, trying to save the town, and had settled down into a feeling of comparative se- curity since the woods on all sides had been more or less burned over. On Sunday night they were awakened from this feeling of security by a noise like constant thunder, which increased in volume until the crash of falling trees and the roar of the wind and fire could be plainly heard. Soon after a tornado burst upon the town unroofing a number of buildings, and quickly followed by a solid sheet of flame, extending the whole length of the village and far beyond each way. In an instant the whole exposed side of the place was in flames. Men, women and children rushed into the streets, and, sur- rounded by fire on all sides, were soon either smothered or burned to death. In the less exposed portions the people fled to the river, and jumping in, many were drowned. Some saved their lives by keeping under water and once in a while putting their heads under as the heat became insufferable. Others took refuge in wells and cisterns and were saved. Quite a large portion of the inhabitants ran to a field to the leeward of the fire, and by lying on the ground were saved, although some of these were badly burned. There is but one house left standing, and that is isolated and lately build of green lumber. As near as can at present be ascertained, 250 lives have been lost, mostly women and children. Although a good many men have perished there are seventy-five who are badly burned, many of whom will die, and nearly all are more or less burned. The destruction has been so complete that the streets cannot be traced, all being covered with sand which was swept in great clouds by the tornado. In some instances bodies have been found completely covered by sand. I could fill columns with heartrending incidents of this conflagration, but will only give a few as illustrative of the rest. In one instance a man took his family and fled to the bridge spanning the river. The bridge was soon on fire, and the poor unfortu- nate family were nearly roasted alive, and then jumped into the river and were drowned. A woman in seeing the fire approaching put her little girl, a child of six years in a well which was nearly dry, and ran to the river herself for security. The woman was saved, and as soon as she could, found out the locality, and her joy was so great at finding the little one alive and well that she swooned, and on recovering clasped her child in her arms and ran ** crying for joy. Too few, alas, were so fortunate. In many cases whole families have perished. In other cases men have lost their families, they being, at the time of the fire, working to save the factories. In other instances men perished in their endeavor to save their families. In one case to which my attention was called, a little boy of seven years is the only surviving member of a numerous family. As soon as the fire had sufficiently subsided all that were able went to the relief of the sufferers, blackened, charred corpses were lying in every direction, with their clothing, as a general thing, nearly or quite burned off. Many dead bodies were found in the river and many more have since been recovered. A number have died from their bruises, while others are crippled or fearfully disfigured. The most imaginative mind cannot begin to realize this fearful calamity, much less my poor pen to de- scribe it. The shrieks and groans of the dying and of those who had lost near and dear friends; the ghastly aspect of the blackened corpses; the shock- ing appearance of many who, badly burned and almost destitute of clothing, were running they knew not where; others in the last agonies of death, made a picture too horrid for contemplation. The sufferers have all been taken to Green Bay and other towns, where they will be kindly cared for, as *******ty is one of the marked traits of the West. The loss to the Peshtigo Company, who owned the factories and most of the town, besides large pine lands, is estimated at 3,000,000, besides the loss of their extensive warehouse in Chicago. Mennekaune, a town of seven or eight hundred inhabitants, is all destroyed but three houses. For- tunately no lives were lost here. Marinette is also nearly all destroyed. Business in this section is partially suspended. At the saw mills and factories at Oshkosh, Fon du Lac and other neighboring towns are stopped by order of the authorities. The Dead at Peshtigo The latest account from Peshtigo add to the hor- ror of the disaster. The propeller St. Joseph arrived at Green Bay on Wednesday morning with about two hundred and eighty of the survivors, many of them half clad, barefooted and bareheaded, and several terribly burned. From Charles Woodward, who kept the Peshtigo House, we learn further particulars. He estimates the loss of life at nearly four hundred. The loss in the "Sugar Bush" was much worse than in the village. They had no means of escape, while at the village the people saved themselves in the river. The Sugar Bush was a ****y farming settlement seven or eight miles long by four or five miles wide, and contained about three hundred families. It was estimated by competent judges on Tuesday that eight-tenths of its inhabitants were dead. But about eight dwellings were left. Twenty teams went up there on Tuesday to bury the dead, and up to four P.M. Tuesday they had reported the follow- ing dead in Sugar Bush. L.H. H***, wife, one boy, and forty-two bodies picked up in front of their house. T. Kelly and one child (wife and two children saved). Daughter, twelve years old, of Fred Bartels Four families of Newberry's all gone, but one boy John Church, wife and two grown children Wife and five children of Charles Lem** John Smith, wife and five children John Alsweiger, wife and six children Charles Lawrence, wife and three children N. May, wife and two children Wife of Peter Leech and two hired men Father, mother, wife and child of William Penry Charles Chapman, wife and one child Henry Hays, wife and two children John Pra**, wife and four children Widow Aymer and two grown up boys Mr. Woodward gives the following addition to the list of dead in Peshtigo Village: - John Tanner, wife and two children Oldest daughter of P.J. Marshall Wife and five children of Donald McDonald ==========================================================================