by Keith Retallick
The following was published in the “The Portage Lake Mining Gazette” Thursday, June 27,1867.
“GREAT CONFLAGRATION AT EAGLE RIVER”
“THE BUSINESS PORTION OF THE TOWN DESTROYED”
“Loss $68,000 – Insurance $28,200.”
“The most destructive fire we have been called upon to record as having occurred in any of the Lake Superior towns, took place in the village of Eagle River, at midnight on Sunday, last night, the 23rd inst, by which ten business houses and dwellings were reduced to ashes and glowing embers in a short time. Almost the entire business portion of the town was destroyed. After once getting a little headway it was impossible to stay the progress of the flames by pouring buckets of water on it, the only means at hand. Like the majority of our wooden constructed towns, Eagle River has no fire engine, hook and ladder, or even bucket company organized for the protection of property from the consuming element, and after a few ineffectual efforts, the people were driven away by the insupportable heat and were compelled to behold building after building swept away without being able to save scarce a tithe of its contents even. The buildings on both sides of the narrow street were in a blaze in a short time after the discovery of the fire and the conflagration only stayed when there were no more buildings to ignite in the direction toward which the wind was blowing at the time. Had the wind been as strong from another quarter it is highly probable the whole town would have been destroyed. The injunction against insufficient means of fire prevention has been most severe to the residents of Eagle River, and we hope has not been lost to other towns similarly situated, and liable to a similar visitation, which may, through less fortuitous circumstances, result in a very much more severe loss.
“About midnight, Jos. Retallack, Sr., was awakened by his horse making a tremendous noise in the stable, and on going out to see what was the matter he found his barn was on fire in two places. Liberating the animal, he at once gave the alarm, but before the people could be awakened and congregated the building was enveloped in flames and in a few minutes more, his house and shop was on fire also. The citizens turned out in mass and made extraordinary exertions to quell the fire, which now raged fearfully, but without a particle of success. The dry material of the long close row of buildings caught like tinder and flew swiftly along to Loth’s large hall, which caught, and in five minutes was a mass of bright flame. The heat became so intense that the people could scarce approach within one hundred feet of the fire, and soon the buildings on the opposite side of the street caught and in a short time both sides of the street were wrapped in flames. Efforts were still made to check their progress, but their futility was apparent to those making them. A single good fire engine could not have checked the fire then. From Loth’s hall the flames reached across a small space and ignited Austrian and Co.’s Store, before they had time to save more than their books and papers. From thence the fire swept across an alley to the brewery buildings of Mrs. Clemens, which were the last on that side of the street. Fortunately, the wind drove the fire out of town by the most direct line from where it originated, or a large number of other buildings would have been added to the list of those destroyed. The following is a complete list of the losses, &c.:
“The fire was beyond question the work of an incendiary, and suspicion at once attached to a man named William Jenkins who had that day made threats against Mr. Retallack, before whom he had appeared a few days before when sitting as a magistrate. Jenkins was at once arrested and examined, and had at last accounts, failed to prove his whereabouts on the night of the fire. There is no direct evidence against him, yet the public conviction is that he is guilty.” We are under obligation to several friends for forwarding particulars of the calamity which has befallen the village.”
Joseph Retallack was the 2xGreat Uncle of John W. Retallack of Rochester NY. I hesitate to mention that my paternal grandmother was a Jenkins!