Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-04-02
me DC s.ovx cAlAnrrr.

TINE Baa ss0Ux CALAMITY.
have 1rvassaerd : Po1aion 81 che IS
NAllcy-A Ssrieksa People,
sioux City journal. LIST.
Eden, D. r., March Si.-Following are
pastfcuiars of the prairie FIRE west Of Eden
6atnrdsy and Sunday. The fire started
near Lincoln Center, Saturday forenoon
about IL o'clock, a northwest wind blowing
q perfect gale at the time, which caused the
fire to spread over several townships and
burned about half of the settlers out Of
house and home.
Most of those who succeeded in saving
their houses lost all their etables. hay, grain
seed and farm machineTy A great many
Who had good FIRE breaks around their prop
erty and thought themselves safe frum the
fire, we're burned TO the ground. The wind
would carry the fire in the air for several
HUNDRED yards ut . time and drop on hay
attacks and hay roofs, and nothing could be
done TO save them from destruction. PEG
pie Who LEFT their homes in the morning re-
turned in the evening and found their
homes and buildings in ashes. One man.
= boys and one child were 90 badly burned
that they were at the point Of death waen
last heard from, all of different families.
Others we're badly singed in trying 2 quench
the flames. The stock wasssved b. turn
Ing it At large. IL was compelled to 20
with the fire until it got on plowed
ground where it stayed in safety. Ore
man Lost q horse and ono colt ss he turn.
ed them out. They became frightened aud
returning to the burning stable, persisted
in the flames.
Other stock is reported lost in the came
way. 1t will take the settlers . long time
to get over the loss by the fire, aud . great
many who have mortgaged their lands To
order to get Q start hsye now lost their IT.
tie oil.
DETAILS OF n CALAMITY.
The Sioux valley from McCook as far
nOrth as Bel0it, and the country to TIT
westwar1, was on Saturday the scene q
prairie fires which were indescribshly ap
pall.ng 10 the ruin and widespread dev~st.'
ton they wrought Our prairie country
has heretofore been the theatre OF thrilling
experiences in this line, but the fires Of
Saturday seen, to have been the most Dr.
structive 10 property of any on record 10
this region. The wind blew . gale and
hurled the flames along in great olllows
which leaped over oil ordinary fire breaks,
NUu C1bueUU1CO uOuaCos vi os~
which were Thought to be safe from fiery
INVASION. Tue growth Of grass last season
vas unusualiy heavy, aud having had d.
rain since early last fall, everything va.
DRY n finder aud burned With great rapid
lty and %fi.rceness.
West of Eden the FIRE was very furious
and destructive. So far rs heard from sew
eral townships were burned over, aud IL
that immediate section more than forty
farmers have lost thek houses, barns. hay
seed grain, imp ements, stock, in fact abou,
all the perst nal property they possessed
10. B. Wheelock, of Eden, who was in thu
city yesterday, tells US that from his store
door he counted thirteen burning houses .
one time. Many Of the men burned gu
were in tow that day, and eeeing the fir,
sweeping down almost With The speed Of III
wind, started their teams in hot haste fol
home, which in some cases were IN plair
sight of the village, but before they coulc
get there the flames had swooped down up
on their places and left nothing but ruin,
| where but a few moments before had stood
house, barn, stacks, and all the convenience
and appointments of prosperous homes. II
was simply awful and our stricken poop {
are almost dazed by the terrible blow which
has fallen upon them. Among thu
| buildings burned was q large
| Norwegian church five miles wesl
Of Edef. 1t is reported that in this neigh
borhood a child was so badly burned that ii
died in a few hours, and the father in at
tempting TO save it was also 80 seriously
scorched that his life was despaired Of. AT
this writing details from the stricken sec
|tion are very meagre, and it is sad to think
that when the particulars of the dire disas,
ter begin to come in We shall undoubtedly
have to chronicle individual cases of death
and suffering which fairly make our hearts
bleed with sorrow and pity. Five miles
northwestcf Bsloit q Norwegian named
Nicholson, while endeavoring to cave bis
house, was caught in the 6se and fatally
burned. He was taken to Beloit still alive,
|b4Ashere were no hope of his surviving,
.H66Fe ID also q report from that locality Of
tMis0sAen being burned 10 death. but no par.
stScliars could be obtained. The FIRE was
sNesydqtInctis We in the vicinity Of r orlland.
Viiiessan9eit ia said that not less than twenty
,farmerslcstsstheir barns, grain, stock. etc.,
iho0eh satsths writing it is not known tina,
any dwelling.houses were destroyed. An.
drew Hoyt,FHfuoA and . half miles from
P0rtlandville, Iosthis barn, eranary, farm
machinery, several head of young cattle
and salslot' Of :hoss: A. school house in this
vicinity wa bIfDeds
The fires ragged bercels at McCouk. and
did considerable dahnaRs,sssreported 10 ouI
columns Sunday m0Isttg Il was at thi4
point the telegraph poIes5Mere burned and
communication BY .Wlre cutoh. 9ThesdAms
sge, however, was promptly. repsireds md
the line ID now working all rfaht. Our
Elk Point correspondent writes that the
fire struck in six miles west Of that place.
the south side of the railroad track,
turning . grsnary belonging TO Eric Rich
ardson, and destroying 700 bushels of seed
wheat-burning 200 bushels ard spelling
the balance. SO that is worthless except for
feed. The fire also burned . school house
with all The books and contents. also much
fence and hay, and 80 uooccupied house op
The Rennick place. BY the same fire John