News: Greenwood - Fire South of Town (16 Aug. 1887)

Contact: Crystal Wendt
Email: crystal@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Bowerman, Begley, Warner, Parkers, Andrews

----Sources: Neillsville Times (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) 16 Aug. 1887

Greenwood

On Monday last the fire in the woods south of the town, which had looked threatening for several days, received renewed energy from the high winds, and about two o’clock broke out of the timer, took a northeasterly course across the farm of John Bowerman, despite the efforts of the many citizens who were striving to beat in back.

Its spread was equal to that of a railroad train, fast mail at that. In a twinkling it was across forty acres, burning about seven acres of oats in the shock belonging to John Bowerman and W. H. Begley, and all the fences on three sides of the farm, besides a number of cross fences.

The houses of David Warner and Ed Parker lay directly in the path of the fire, and all that saved them was a narrow stripe of garden patch which separated them from the stubble field. They were then saved only by hard frightening as the heat and smoke were so terrible before the gale that was blowing. The fire also crossed over S. M. Andrews farm burning many rods of fencing. It then came to the green timber which checked it until the welcome rain in the evening put it out.

The wind was blowing directly from south an hour before the fire broke out, and had it continued in that direction there is no knowing how much of our village might have been swept away.