The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-11-06
A Race for Life.

A party has arrived who travelled fol
several days through and along the burn
ing district of Dacotah and Northwestern
Minnesota. For some days previous to
leaving Cheyenne River, in DakOtah, at a
point Is miles west Of the crossing Of
the Northern Pacific Railroad at Red
River, dense smoky atmosphere pre-.
vailed, which each day grew more dense,
warning them that immense "pnIirie
fires" we're approaching rapidly, and
the party deemed it prudent to move
eastward rs fast us possible. They made
immediate preparations, but found that
they were in the saddle none too soon.
lrhe intense heat and weight Of smoke
affected them very much, and soon after
starting they were forced to ride us
rapidly US possible. All through that
long day they toiled along, their eyes
nearly blinded, with parched throat and
cracked lips and intense thirst, till ut
nightfall they came in sight of Red River,
having ridden 70 miles without rest or
halt but once. Appoints along the route
the wall Of flames would be quite near,
Its roar could be heard many miles, and
its npid motion WIS surprising. The
line OF fire seemed TO be solid wall Of
flame Of about 90 or 30 feet in hight,
and moved M rapidly MS II fleet horse
could run. Occasionally Il portion of
the line would break away in bodies OF
forty or more feet square, and be carried
with almost electric rapidity distance
Of fifty or n hundred rods ahead,
and then strike the high dry grlss, which
would Immediately ignite and add its
destroying force to the already gigantic
conilagrution.
After resting at Red River the party
reduced 10. three persons, moved on east.
ward and southwark passing over dis
trict but lately burned. They could not
distinguish an object fifty yards away,
great heavy clouds Of smoke hanging
like Il pail through all the distance Of
$50 miles they travelled before reaching
the Mississippi River, and even there
the smoke was very oppressive. They
deviated somewhat from usual route
Travelled, and found at different points
the charrcd remains Of three human
beings, nothing left but the bodies, and
those burned to n crisp. Nothing could
be found that would in any way identify
the burned corpses.
A letter from Yankton reports that the
last down coach found the country pretty
well burned over to within mile or two
of Ynnkton, and the fire is still burning
in various directions. The ruins Of four
smoldCring houses were seen, grilin and
bay stacks were blazing on all sides, and
burning fences were swept across the
country in all directions. Another ter.
riblc fire rugged the same day this side of
YanktOn, and within Il few mules of that
city. The flames swept toward YanktOn,
and in their course devoured several
houses, besides numerous barns, sheds,
and stacks of grim. The coach due in
Yankton on Wednesday evening had IN
exciting time of it. 1t was discovered
thlt the fire was coming, and II race en-
sued The driver piled his whip, and
away the horses went on gallop. Near
er and nearer came the fire. The red
glare filed the sky the fOrkcd tongue
shot out; the terrible hissings OF the
demon were in the ears Of the ailrightcd
passengers. The driver gathered his
lines, drew the leaders from theroad, the
horses gathered, jumped, rail.fence was
beneath the wheels of the coach, the
coach was on piece Of plowed ground,
and the fire went by with Il roar like ii
cataract.