The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-11-25
THE PALLADIUM
From the st. Joseph ono. Herald, Nov. II.
TERRIBLE NIGHTS RIDE.

who came in on the IL o'clock
train Of the Kansas City, St Joseph
and Council Bluffs Railroad from
Gage county, Nebraska, brought
the news of Q sad accident that
occurred by reason of the great
prairie fires that are now raging in
that section of the State. These
gentlemen claim that it is not alto
gether improbable that many other
families have suffered in the same
manner, and that it will be neces-
sary to extend liberal aid, and that
very shortly. Captain Lakeland, a
recent citizen of Lincoln, Neb., and
. gentleman well known in this
community, says that ever since
Friday night one week ago the
prairie has been burning with ter
rible vim, sweeping everything that
comes in its way. The heavy
winds now prevalent upon the
prairies of course add fury to the
flames, and those families that can
move are Fastening to avoid its
wrath and save what little of their
property they can. Many of them
are leaving behind almost all of
their worldly possessions. and are
travelling with nothing but their
team and scant allowance of pro.
visions. Many of these people are
but poorly clad and have already
suffered much from the pinching
wind. He says that their suffer
ings must of necessity be great.
He gives us the details of the
terrible calamity that overlook the
family of Mr.. William S. Herndon,
. well known farmer of Gage coun-
ty. He says he met Mr.. Herndon
on Monday night on his way to
Lincoln, where he has relations
residing and where he expects aid.
From Nh. Herndon's own lips he
learned the story of his sufferings.
Some three years ago Herndon
moved to Gage county from Iowa
and purchased sixty acres of land
nine miles from the county seat.
He prospered and was succeeding
well until the late disaster, which
not only destroyed his property
but left him alone in the world, the
fire having overtaken his family,
consisting of his wife and two
children, and burned them to death.
Herndon said he noticed the fire
miles away on Saturday night, but
it was no uncommon thing TO see
the grass burning, and he paid but
little attention to it, although his
wife seemed considerably alarmed,
and before bed time she called his
attention to it several times. He
still thought nothing of it or thai
it was nothing more than the grass
burning, and would be out by
morning. Under this belief he,
with his family, retired. In the
morning it was noticed that the
fire was even burning with more
vim and had evidently come nearer
to them.
He was still inclined to believe
that it would pass around and leave
him unmolested, or that it would
rain and thus put danger out Of
the question.
A heavy wind springing up al
noon, however, and blowing direct
ly from the fire toward the house
warned him that the danger was
growing imminent. His children
were now crying through fear, and
his wife importuning him to make
the best OF time. Arrangements
were soon made for the journey
and in q two horse wagon they
started, more than ten miles il
advance of the fire, with every
possibility of being able to get ou
of it's reach.
Good time was made by tn,
team, and not until late in tn
evening when the wind increased
in fury was there any apprehension
of danger. About dusk the vino
increased to q hurricane, and tn,
flames began to approach then
with terrible speed and awful gran
dure. Faster and faster they came
and Mr. Herndon says that it wa
evident they would overtake then
in o very few moments. What t,
be done under the circumstance
was q question that had to be de
cided quickly. The horses ha'
now become unmanageable, an,
was as likely to overturn the Wagon
and start for the flames as an
other way. A Nasty piece O
ground was some two miles distant
and near this was o small branc
of water from which he remembe,
ed he had frequently watered hi
horses. This was the only chanc
for life, and hastily leaving hi
wagon and team to their fate, b
started for the marsh with hi
youngest child, lad of eight year.
in his arms. It was o struggle fc
life. Death was comming, the
made one grand effort to get OF
of it's reach, but, alas! it was III
availing. We will not undertal
to depict the anguish of that fatht
as he was compelled to see IL
cherished ones of his own hear
] those whom he loved even bett.
than his own life blood, sink dow
one after the other and become
prey to that most terrible of a
deaths by fire. The little daugl
ter was the first to be overtake,
and the mother was prone to sts
and give up her life with her dal
ling, but she kept on, while Il
Aomoa wara vot mora than a I'm,