The Red Cloud chief., 1875-03-31
THE STORM KING!
ANDTHE
FIRE FIEND II
TERRIBLE WIND STORM !
DESTRUCTIVE rgaEs---G9cA. less
o. rss?EEIT--IAyY TAC-
LIES EcyE.Ess.

Last Thursday evening, about hse
O'Clock lons line Of black looking
clouds was observed on the western
horizon, betckening the approach OF
torn, but there vas nothing 10 the
APPEARANCE that attracted any atten-
ton. more than . passing glance. and
the remark that it might rain before
morning. About six o clock however,
the atmosphere was suddcnly billed
sifh dust and sand. AID q hurricane
sxebt through with q velocity Dever
before experienced in the Valley. If 10
the State. There was not 8 minutes
warning before it was almost as dark
as midnight, the force Of the wind, and
the flying gravel, sand and dust, made
il impossible to stand an instant. be-
fore 1t, and those who were aDfortu-
pate enough 70 be out we're obliged to
lie down, or seek . shelter by flying
With the wind. The fury of the hur-
ricane lasted about half an hour, or
such a matter, during which time no
mau could have stood before it. Nearly
every u on the main streets nanag-
Cd to get 10 the store Of CARRIER 4 Co,
which building WAS considered the
safest, though some toCk shelter IN
other aud 10 them more available
places. Buildings shook and ,otterej
as II about to be torn TO pieces, and
| the alarm was fearful. The afternoon
had been 80 pleasant and s~pring-!ike
that almost everybody was out, and a
large party of lalie. were at Mrs
McNut's. Of course no one could
get home, and Their, were many &
lous hearts dutiDg the short tune tina,
the wind vas at its height.
Three times a Ere was started on
the east side OF the shoe shop Oh near
Mr.. La rs dwelling, which wa:
promptly extinguished in the first case
by Vim. y. richardson, AMI hen by
others whose names We have not learn.
ed. At that junc,ure, i L tire had get
fairly under way. the eutire toSn
would have been destroyed.
As the tempest began to abate, 1t
was discovered that to the north
THE PaAIRIEs WERE on FIRE.
aud a widening circle of light could be
seen advancing with the rapidity Of a
race horse, untIl suddenly the blazing
flame, burst in full view and showed
al its fullest exten, the horror. Of the
situation. Fortunately for the town,
the wind cha il h,ly but enough
to turn the direction of the FIRE, aud
instead Of Jumping the creek to the
north aud northeast, 1t swept down
the ridge, east oil the creek, aud pass
ed east through the bottom lands to
the river, where its course was check
ed. The very force OF the Wind ap
peared to be our salvation, for ii drove
the flames with such speed that they
had no chance to spread sideways. la
some places the flames We're lifted 10
and carried bodily for some distance
when they would strike the earth
again leaving strips Of grass unsingei.
A large number of persons narrowly
escaped being caught by the burning
prairieS.
lu town everybody vas anxious aad
some were excited, but as soou ~ pos
sible = number started out 10 try t.
fight back the ireTy element, and pro-
badly assisted Ia turning the course OF
the flames.
Early in the evening it coull be seen
that something besides the prairies
Was burning east Of town, and it vas
reported that DE-. TIlleys house was
burned, bat fortunately this proved to
be a mistake.
! All day on Friday aud Saturday re-
ports OF the destruction OF houses and
property throughout the county were
broug6, IN, and as far As possible, We
will give a list of those suffering loss.
1t will 6e cen that the greatest mum
Der Of losses consisted ia stables and
conten,S, there generally b.ing more
litter aud combus,ible material lying
around such places.
Josiah Ca>ebier, one mile east of
town lost stable, considerable grain, a
number Of hogs, aud a large pile of
wood.
Dr.. Head lost stable, some seed
grain, two large stacks of hay, u wag.
on. and about forty rods Of fence valu
ab e, from being Constructed Of nice
cedar logs The FIRE Jumped a,
least sixty rods when it struck the sta
be, there being a vide strip Of gras.
and forty rods Of cultivated land fom
where it lifted up" to the stable.
Chas. T~eachworth, on Indian Creek
los; his stable. hay and grain, of c,n.
siderable value. q sp q Of horses,
doub'e-ha-nes-. plox. and other agri.
cultural hapieueats, and two hoss
The house caught hre two or thres
times but vas saved BY hard work.
Mr.. WEIGH had two horses in the sta
BE bat he succeeded in getting then
, out 10 time to sase them.
Mrs Fisher 10 tue saue neishbor
hood as above, lost hay, sheds. .us
one cali. ls the sheds we're 4 RIO,
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