Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-04-03
Thursdays Disastrous Fire.
Waterbury News: The most destrt

Waterbury News: The most destrhct=
i've fire chat has swept the beautifla
prairies about Waterbury, occurred da5
Thursday Of this week. About noon b
black cloud Of smoke was observed Oft
to the northwest being swept south by
a perfect gale of wind. Little by little
the wlnd Teered ground more into the
west and soon the flames could be seen
dartiag up all over the neighboring
hills Nearly every man and boy in
Waterbury then armed themselN es with
wet blankets and other weapons to fght
the flames and struck out into the coNn-
try to help some Of the neighbors wlo
We're unprotected. The fire in the mean
time was going at the rate of twetty
miles an hour down Crow Creek valley,
licking up hay stacks and stables limits
path as if they had been SO much tin
der. When the fire reached Clay Pllt-
ner's old place, Stillman Moulton ami
brother Wko ha1sgone q 4; ,;sss.as s.a beyoisss
to try and save a hay stack belonging
to them, were caught in the flames and
their faces, hands and feet were fear
fully burned, SO badly that the
skin on Stills face and hands had fallen
off in places before he reached town,
The boys suffered terribly, but DR.. Mil
ler, their physician thinks they will
pull through all O. X. if they are care
full of themselves. AT Jos. Ponsford's S
place the fire destroyed his hay, stable
and grain, but he managed to save his
stock, though he was slightly burned
in doing So On the wild fire sped
across Grow Creek Valley and up to r,
A. Wheeler's stock farm and here the
worst damage to property was done.
The stock yards had been protected last
fall by q slight fire break, but owing to
the dryness Of the grass and the hight
of the wind this break was altogether
insufficient, although the grass was
small and stubby on the knoll where
the yards were built. This fact was re-
allzed by the men about the place as
soon as the fire was seen coming and
| they Immediately went to enlarging
the fire break, but they had commenced
too late and before they had accomplish
ed anything scarcely the fire was upon
them. 1t jumped the break as easily
as ii there had been none in the way
and caught in the yards and stable
where 45 head of fine young cattle Were
penned up. The poor creatures ran
believing into the stable where in q
perfect pandimonium of bellows which
their suffering elected, they were burn
ed alive. The wagons, ploWs and othel
machinery belonging to the farm were
either all or in part burned up. This
is disastrous blow on the most esti
mable but unlucky Wheeler. Last Win
ter his home with it's contents was de
youred by the flames and now a greater
calamity has befallen hun. not only il
his stock and machinery gone, but his
wife in her heroic endeavor to save
their little property was dreadfullJ
burned in the flames. This terrible for
tune cannot always follow a person an(
Mr.. and Mrs. Wheeler should not be en-
tirely discouraged, as people of theil
industry will soon recover even from
their great loss.
The town of Waterbury was at one
time during the day in great danger
but by the united and energetic effort
Of the citizens it was soon secure from
| anV danger Of the fire