Political Quotes

“today I wish to recognize a solemn occasion, the 147th anniversary of the Great Peshtigo Fire in Wisconsin. On October 8, 1871, Wisconsin's 10th largest city at the time was completely destroyed in what is still the largest fire in U.S. history. The city of Peshtigo, WI, was first settled in 1838. The community is surrounded by dense Wisconsin forest and has long been sustained economically by lumber, shipping, and railroad interests. Located off the western shore of Green Bay in Marinette County, the area was home to Menominee and Ho-Chunk Native-Americans. Historians and survivors of the fire theorize that the blaze was started by railroad workers who were cutting trees and burning debris outside of Peshtigo. A combination of a prolonged drought, a heavy reliance on wooden buildings, and 100-mph winds aligned to create a firestorm that reached 3 miles across and 1,000 feet high. Over the course of the night, the fire scorched over 1.2 million acres and caused an estimated $169 million in damages. Between 1,200 and 2,500 people lost their lives. The fire's complete destruction of local records prevented an accurate death toll. An estimated 350 victims lie in a mass grave in Peshtigo, victims who could not be identified because they were either burned beyond recognition or because those who could identify them perished too.…”