Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-10-31

A year ago there was much discus
sion over a transportationlline via Hnd-
son bay TO Europe. AS a result the do
minion government seHt cut RI expe-
dition to explore Hudson bayand strait,
and stat: 81 observers al various posts.
This vessel has just returned after a
cruise Of ever 6o,00g miles, and the re-
port is decidedly favorable. In regard
10 Churchill harbor in the southern
part of the baJ. Lieut.. A. II. Gordon. of
the Royal raEy, who was in command
says:
The fourth of September we entered
the mouth of the Churchill and dropped
anchor il the magnificent harhoG Of
Fort Churchill. This harbcr is truly
one CT the finest in the world. Enter
ing shout two hundred yards wide, we
found ourselves on a beautiful sheet of
water eleven miles long and four miles
wide. Safe anchorage is afforded for
innumerable vessels. The ruins ofithe,
old Hudson's Bay fort Ggsv meet the
eye. and are very interesting. The new
fort is five miles from the site of the
old one, and on much higher ground.
a meteorological station was estab-
lished here. and all the conditions and
changes ofthe weather WILDE observed
closely. -. -
a half dozen other posts were estab-'
lished, several especially to observe
how long the mouth of the bay remains.
open. OF the result of the expedition,
the Winnipeg Times says:
The question of the safe and easy.
navigation Of the strait will probably;
never again be raised; there is now no
longer any doubt that it can be naviga.
ted with as much safety as ordinary
routes-With quite as much as the st.,
Lawrence. for example. Those WHO
We're lett at the various posts will be
able to tell next summer how long mat
navigation lasts each year.
SO far the result of the expedition
goes to show what few intelligent per-
sons any longer doubt, thattbe Iildson,
Bay route is entirely feasible. 1t also
goes to encourage the hope that in a.
few years at the fafthest The people Of
the Northwest will be using il as a
means of communication with Europe.
In this country there has been the most
unquestioned faith in thepracticability
of the route for some time; any doubt
which prevails elsewhere will be re-
moved. The report published to-day
means that the Hudson Bay railway
will soon be built.
The lowest temperature experienced
during the voyage was twenty-five de-
grees aboveZero, or ten degrees Of frost:
the average for September was thirty
six degrees above zero. Nothing could
be more satisfactory than the result of
the expedition. SO far as its objects have
been accomplished.
The Press and Dakotaian of the 21st.
contains the following dispatch from
Plankinton;
Yesterday Sunday morning was a
most beautiful morning, very warm
and pleasant, ladies attending church
in summer attire, men lettering about
in their shirt sleeves, and the wind
from the south. About II o'clock a
prairie fire started on or near the coun-
ty line between Douglas and this (Au-
rora) county, twenty miles south OF this
place, started, as is supposed, in the at
tempt OF some settler to burn a fire
break. The wind raised steadily and
the fire spread rapidly, burning over a
large scope OF territory, burning up
stacks OF hay, grain and flax, and hous-
es, barns and improvements of the set
tiers. y messenger came in last night
after doctors, stating that two men and
one Woman had been severely burned.
and that it was supposed others had
been more OF less injured; that some
families had lost everything, houses and
part Of their stock. Just what the con-
ditions are cannot be learned. There
are no reports from there this morning.
The estimate Of loss by citizens here
is placed at from $4,000 to $25.OOO.
They say there has been no rain for
three months, consequently the grass
ripened early and was all dead, and the
country very dry, and they are appre-
hensive that the devastation and des-
truction is much greater than reported.
a man just in says the loss and suf-
fering is much greater than at first
supposed.
Alarge eagle measuring71z feet from
tip to tip of wings was shot and cap
tured in the hog pasture Of Bayard
Sharp, about nine miles northeast of
town Tuesday evening. The bird be-
ing rather hungry thought he would
make Il meal on II of Sharp's small
pOrkers, but no sooner had he lit in the
Enclosure before he was attacked by the
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