Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-04
A GREAT

out at lao a. NJ. yesterday in a small
foundry on the north side of Strand street,
near the corner of Sixteenth. The flames
The entire fire department was soon on the
| ground, but they seemed paralyzed and un-
able to fight the flames because of the
fierce wind and suffocating smoke.
About four o'clock the fire began to
spread to the east and to the west OF Six
teenth and Seventeenth streets. The wind
rose to a gale and pandemonium reigned.
For a time it seemed as though the entire
eastern half of the city was doomed.
The fire spread rapidly to the
southwark, licking up blocks of
elegant residences, hastily aband-
oned by their inmates. BY five o'clock
it had reached Broadway, which threads
the center of the island, running cas-. and
west. at seven O'Clock the wind gave
signs of dying away, and shortly it be,
gan 10 shift, then to decrease, until
by eight O'Clock only a fair breeze was
blowing. But by this time the fire had
eaten its way TO Avenue o, where at nine
O'Clock, it seemed to exhaust itself, and the
tiremen coming up opportunity checked its
further ravases at this point, or within two
blocks OF the gulf. 1t continued to rage,
however, in spite OF noble elloltS to eX-
tinguish it, and at noon had reached the
beach, about a mile and a half distant from
where it started.
At 1920 the fire reached the beach, about
a mile and a half rom the starting place,
having burned a course seven blocks wide
and consumed three hundred buildings,
among them some of the stateliest resi-.
dences of the city. AT the beach the rage
of the flames expired, and two hours subse-
Quent the ~conilayration was under the con-
troll of the fire department.
Accurate charts of the burnt district were
completed last evening, showing that the
course OF the fire was in a soutleasterly di-
rection. Beginning at the foot of Sixteenth
street on the strand, the fire crossed avenues
c, ID and 4. Here it worked its way to the
east half of the same block, on
which stands the post-o11ice and
United States Court. The flames threat
ened the post-oi1icc. and the build
ing was hurricdly cleared of matchmaker,
and all valuable mail was placed in vaults.
Fortunately, the flames spared the build
ing, and passed onward toward the gulf.
At avenue l .tlc fire destroyed the state
liest mansions of the city. One Of the first
to succmmb was that OF Mrs. Magale, a
$40, 600 house.
The business portion of the city was not
touched, but in the burnt district wera
twenty-one groceries, saloons and small
stores.
The only public building consumed was
the Second District school building, a frame
structure, which was recently built at a
cost of $40, 600. The total area of the burnt
district is one hundred acres. and forty and
a half blocks were swept clean. Something
over four hundred houses were burned, and
it is estimated by the relief committee that
about one thousand families were rendered
homeless, the great majority of whom
especially the poorer ones-lost everything.
AS the fire started in the poor district they
had little or no time in which to move their
furniture, while the Weather victims
moved their valuable pictures and effects.
Several OF the finest houses, however, were
burned without a single article having been
saved, SO confident were the occupants that
the fire would pass by them. The hotels arc
filled with homeless people, and a citizens
committee is now at work apportioning
families to rooms and premises vacated for
their use. Every vehicle in the city is at
work carrying the streWn furniture. bed
ding and pictures to secure places. Thou
sands of people haunt the burned district,
looking among the smoking ruins for val
liable kecpsakes of jewelry, hoping to find
something left, but all is as bleak and bar.
rem as a desert. Even the huge wooden
water-tanks and fences and sidewalks and
telephone poles are burned to white ashes.
Nearly every one has an estimate as to
| what the total loss foots up. The best
posted citizens estimate the loss at fully
So. 900, 600, while many who claim to have
! figured on the matter put tho estimate as
high as 50, 500, 900. a list of insurance
companies having policies on the burned
district is published, the total amount reach.
ing to $3.50. $50.
Captain James E. Eads, the celebrated
engineer, telegrap!ls 81, 900 from st. Louis.
Kinman u Co., cotton buyers of Houston,
sent $500. Jay Gould te!egraphs a draft
for So, 900. The City Council met in special
session last evening and voted a donation
OF $4,000 for the sufferers, and appointed
a committee OF three Aldermen to act with
the Citizens Committee in distributing the
funds. This makes S3l, 500 already
donated b. citizens Of Galveston, which,
together with outside donations, foots up a
total of S3S, 900 i'll one day.
The Galveston NelUs says, touching the
great fire:
The conduct Of the people Of Galveston in
view OF the calamity tina, overlook them yes.
1erday can net be too highly commended.
The shock was severe, the test terrible
hut Galveston vii! come ont OF it I'M
dismayed. The loss is great but not
more than Galveston can bear, under
pressure. The people of the city are now
on their mettle, and in this condition they arc
at their best. Many families are .omless;
some lost their all. ii was a great calamity,
but there will be no unrehcycd suffering
The d~riving-whecl of Gal, -ston's existence
not disturbed.' tue busy aarts Of &c con-:
mcrcc 30 on as il no; ,in" had hap.
pcncd: The prompt manner II Which citizens
assembled to m!le provisio; TOR tlcimpover
ished and distl .ssed show the spirit that
an!mates the city. Galvcsto4 is equal to the
emergency, and would be clual to an emer.
gency much greater than She is confronted
with at present. She will | Gus beautiful Il
ever in Il few months, and : doing business
at the old stand.
Galveston is situated on an island at the
mouth of Galveston BAY tthc Gulf OF MeXicO
and is The most populous md commercial
city in Texas. II is 450 lniies southwest OF
New Orleans. The island is thirty miles long
and three miles wide. The bay Is thirty-1iNe
miles long and varies in breadth from
twelve TO eighteen miles. From this
port steamers make regular passages
TO New York, New Orleans. Indian.
ola, Havana. Liverpool and other cities. The
Chief articles OF export are cotton. hides,
grain and pork. Tho value O. the annual OK.
ports is about S35, COZ, 600. Ih quantity OF cot
ton received yearly is over 10000 bales. II is
q Catholic bishops See. Its population at the
rapidly since.