Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-04-07
THE LINCOLN COUNTY FIRES.
Property Destruction aud Loss OF Hum. N
Life.

IhE LINCOLN COUNTY FIRES.
| Property Destruction aud Loss Of Human
Life.
Canton Advocate. 3D.
The terrible fire that swept down from
the northwest, through the middle portion
Of Lincoln county, last week, was unpara.
lelled In lis devastation of homes. live
| stock grain and the possessions of the far.
mers. Those who long ago had heen al.
tractcd thither by the rich prospects OF
these fertile plains and had after years of
hardshps and failures, began to see the
clouds lift from their embarrassment and
iso stion, bringing their hard earned sur.
roundings into the sunlight of promising
future, were destined to experience sudden
and frightful change through the uncon
trollable fury of fire. Some tboughtlese
person applied the match and the wind in.
Ecreasing sent the flames through the grass
at almost lightning speed, tall dry and rank
as the grass was, the heat became unbear.
able and the spread of the fire impossible to
check, fire breaks were mostly useless as
the fire was known in many instances 10
leap over rods of ploughing and swept be-
yond as rapidly if no barrier had intercept
ed.
The number of families or settlers who
we're sufferers within Lincoln county as far
as beard from was %, but from the extent
of country the fire passed over we should
Judge that far more are injured than We
have heard.
Many have lost their all, their home and
the stock and implements that their limit
ed means have enabled them to accumulate
in the hard years that have just past, others
have felt the cold hands of death as it bur
rowed meath the flame that clutched the
helpless ones in its relentless grasp. Two
children of Thomas Thomaston are report
ed as burned to death. Peter Nelson, be-
sides losing his house, furniture, stock,
farming implements and $3.50 in money
was SO severely burned that the physician
thinks it doubtful if he recovere.
Mrs. Jabez Wilkinson has been prostra-
ted by the excitement and apprehensions of
their destruction by the element ss it ragged
furiously toward them, and several were
more or less injured in their efforts to save
themselves aud property
The fire is supposed 10 have originated
about twelve miles northwest of Lincoln
Center, and with the wind came In south
easterly direction varying in width from
| one to six miles, passing down towards
the mouth Of the Sioux river or its Juno
ton with the Missouri; the source is being
traced and unques,,onably its author viii
be found. The consequences are yet tc
be told as the people are about exaspe
rated.
Some OF our people have been subjected
to serious embarrassment, as to immedi
ate need by the catastrophe, and those tina
need help should receive it. and should an,
case become known where assistance il
required, we doubt net q liberal and promp
response will be made BY the more fortu
nate.
Below we give list of the names of the
sufferers and their losses, as far as we have
been able to procure Them
Austin Oleson lost house, clothing, furni.
ture, stable, machinery, saving only what
clothes the family had on.
T. Nelson lost house, clothing, furniture,
horses, stabling and $3.50 in money.
Ole Hogge lost house and everything but
one pIow.
John Richards lost stable, grain and ma
chinery.
Julius North, stabling, machinery and
seed grain.
Mrs. Thompson, house and furniture. 1t
was occupied BY Orrin Grout the furniture
belonged to him.
j. Barnhart, stables, 800 bushels Of corn.
l.. Douglas, stable and farming utensils.
Robt. Alexander, stable, horses, grain,
machinery. only house saved.
F. E. Besse, stables, harvester and 200
bushels OF oats.
John NJ. Carpenter, 500 bushels of fax
on Ospal farm.
O. Redield, stable, machinery, wagon,
feed mill, and machinery.
John MiIage, slabling, feed, 1000 bushels
corn, and machinery. Insured for 5000.
Robt. Hannah, house, furniture, clothing,
Sl2 money, span horses, colt, calves, wa e.
on and machinery.
Jabez Wilkinson, stable, % hogs, wagon,
seeders, ploughs, large quantity Of hsY.
VIM. Garretson, house, stable, hay, grain,
etc.
Halger Halve, house, stable, granary,
grain harness, wagon.
The Lutheran church, Norway, called the
Oleson church. Loss $500.
j. Wilson, house and stables, furniture,
clothing.
Hans and Lara Sogn, stables and hay.
Thomas Sunday, stable, hay, reaper, pillow,
200 bushels oats.
Thomas Thomasten, house, furniture, all
of his pesonal property, severely burnt him.
self, and two small children burnt 10 death
0. Erickson and jacobson Bros, both los
stables and machinery.
r. r. May, stable, Marsh harvester, {
granaries, 400 bushels corn, 100 OF oats, 2;
Of rye, sleds, 25 tons hay, poultry, sacks
The house caught fire but Mrs. May put i
out with milk before it had made much
progress.