The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1879-05-01
The TEAMS TRIALS.
The Trials and Trbulat!ons Exps.
riencsd by the Times Travel
ing Team.
Interviewed by Prairie Fire-A
Run For lifs--The Pleasures CT
q Race viii! Flames.
A Narrow Escape--Fying From the
Fiend--Safe at Last.


Correspondence LeaveuwOrth TINES.
KIRwIN, April Sit isn't the most
pleasant experience in the world; this being
interviewed by prairie fire at uucomforta-
bic close quarters, and yet this was the
sensation which The TINES travelling tesm
to day felt, when they ran square into the
teeth of a blszing furnace, sort Of little
hell upon earth, roaring, Kissing, scorch-
ing wall of flame, a devouring, dreadful,
deadly fiend, whose breath is almost certain
death and whose embrace is but the sure
initial TO the tomb. The team left Stock
ton, the seat OF government FOR Rocks
county, in good time for the return TO kir-
win, and when few miles out from the
former place, took
SHORT CUT ACROSS THE PRAIRIE,
the idea being TO lessen the distance between
the two towns as much az possible, the reg
ular road being addicted to devious wind
ings and lengthening curves which, by fol-
lowing direct line across the plain We
sought TO counterfeit. We had very good
pair of horses. who knew their business and
diltIur'i W A. ElttCllN, GANA were
fine time across the grassy plateau which
we were then crossing when all at once
Steve called nv attention by quick and
not altogether Biblical exclamation to d
bright stresk OF flame which seemed to
spring up az if by magic from the bosom OF
the prairie Immediately behind us. "Some
one hrs fired the prairie and now we're in
for III said he, as he viii ped up the horses
IL l.. l.
And we were in for it, sure CROUCH; for
in less time than it takes to tell it the
whole face Of the prairie seemed to
BREAK INTO GIGANTIC BLAZE,
az If the surfsce Of the ground had been
strewn with gunpowder aud ignited. Al.
though the fire was fully a quarter of
mile behind ia we could feel ia hot and
sitting breath, for the wind, which wasn't
by any means as still and quiet az it might
have been, previous to the starting of the
fire, suddenly branched out and assumed
the proportions of the fsr-famed Kansas
zephyr, and began TO roar and rage in uni
son with the Kissing flame behind us.
Steve whipped the frightened trembling
horses into ruu, and
THE RACE BETWEEN THE FIRE AND
HoRsEFLEsH
began in dead earnest. Buttoning up our
oyercosts and placing our handkerchiefs
over our faces TO prevent, as lar a. possible,
partial or entire sufocation from the black
thick, heavy sui phurous smoke which had
already began to envelope ia, we gave the
animals free rein and bending low in the
seat we sat silent but not by any means dis
interested spectators OF the race for life.
! To describe the sensation of those few hut
decidedly uncomfortable moments would
he an utter impossibility, for it Yves far be-
| yond description as the would be discov-
| erer of perpetual motion is from the reali-
cation Of his life's dram. The blsze
TRAVELLED LIKE RACE HORSE,
coming in upon the home stretch with the
shouts of assembled thousands to spur him
| on to greater effort, the great difference in
| Ibis particular case being that there was
nothing to relieve the horrible, oppressive
silence except the thunder Of the horse-'
feet upon the dull prairie sod, a. they tore
along with outstretched necks, dilated nos.
| trils and staring eyes, and the sulen whirl
and at times cracking sound OF the flame4
as they followed Us, every now and then
receiving fresh impetus from a sudden
and quickened breeze. 4 mis-step by one
of our horses would, at that time, have
been
SURE AND SUDDEN DFArH,
but the faithful animals, az fully aware Of
the dangers Of the situation "a we were
and approaching the value of both speed
and sure footing, buckled nobly down to
the work before them, and, with sinews
which seemed stee,ei, stimulated and
strengthened by the presence
of the dreadful fate upon
them, sped along the prairie at a
fearful rate, the bug Y every now and then
giving lurch "a two wheels would come
down into a small gutter worn by the &C
ton Of the rain. No one can realize the
| velocity a prairie fire on business trip Can
attain unless he has been Immediately in
front Of one. And "A fast as fast az We
went and doubt il Rsrus or Goldsmith't
Maid ever approached our time),
THE BLAZE WENT FASTER,
and it soon became evident 10 both OF us
that unless the fire should change its course
which couldn't be hoped for, or We should
come upon piece OF barren ground, that
it would soon be "all day" with Va. and that
there would be two vacancies in THE TINES
team TO be filled by new recruits. 1t sooI
became evident that the pace was too much
for the poor animals upon which our only
hope Of salvation depended, and that if il
had to be kept up very long We must GER
tainly be oremated md leave our sshes tc
be blown BY the contrary winds to the four
; parts Of the State.
THE WHIP WAS FREELY Used,
i
in fact it was a most useful implement il
the acceleration OF the speed Of the horsei
Just at that time, although 10 tell the truth
they didn't need very much urging, but th'
passage OF every moment seemed all tn,
! more TO wildly impress upon Us the fac
5 that unless Providence mercifully inter
vened in some unsccountable way to sta,
or stop the progress of the roaring avalancl
Of flame behind US, that We Iced not hop
for salvation. By this time the atmos
phere had grown black with the smok
, which vas curling IN great clouds aroun'
, us. and while we could not see the fame
, behind Ia, we could feel their hot and fer
Q | breath, like that of some horrible monste
which was
HIsING OUT OUR DEATH WARRANT
previous to becoming our executioner.
8 was IN appalling situation, uDenviable j
= each and every particular, and through th
3 blacknse Of tie gloomy prospect no ray .