Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-07-02
DESTROYED.

Burnin: OF the Western Terminu or h
Canadian Pacific R~ailway-Ten Bodies
Recovered from the Ruins Property
Valued ut al, 900, 900 Dcyoured by the
Flames.
PORTLAND, Ore, June 16.-Rcferring to
burning OF Vancouver, b. O., on Mon
day, the O%rcgonian's Victoria special
says: All day Sunday there had
been a very steady wind from the
northwest, and pruan-clearing fires on
the Canadian Pacific railway lots were
famed to such an extent as to till the
terminal town OF Vancouver with smoke.
Nobody had, however, any idea OF dan
ger. Shortly after one p. IN. several per-
sons began to consider the situation q
threatening one, but the smoke was SO
dense that they found it impossible to
direct their steps to the exact location
OF it's source. Soon a stable near the Co
lonial Hotel was seen on fire. The alarm
was given, but SO skeptical were the peo-
pie that they paid no attention to it for
some time. The wind by this time had
increased to q gale, and famed the flames
to a mass OF raging fire. One OF the first
buildings to go was Macartney's drug
store, followed by the office OF the Van
couver News. The flames shot across
Abbott street with astonishing rapidity
and almost before the people could realize
it, the whole OF tho western portion OF the
city was in a blaze. The excitement was
now intense. Water street was filled with
dense smoke and flying cinders, and
people were hurrying with what 81
fccts they could gather in their haste
it takes to describe it, the fire
chants in this vicinity and in the Ferguson
Block were engaged in conveying their
goods to u place OF safety, but so rapid
was the conflagration that, before the
teams were loaded, the teamsters them.
selves we're obliged to fly for their lives.
All hope OF saving any considerable
a%bandoned and each contented
himself with hastily putting together what
he could carry in his hands without seri.
ously impeding lis speed, and hurried
from the spot. But, even after leaving
the houses the danger was not over, for
every road had become an avenue OF fire,
falling tilnbers and stumps on each side O!
the road glowing with fire. proving as seri.
GUS a menace to the fugitives as burning
houses OF the doomed city.
The dropping OF the flames vas as sud
den as their rise, and by 6 p. m. some adj
venturous spirits had already made Their
way along the roads Of the destroyed
| city, and before dark the work of search
ing for the bodies of those oyertaken by
frey elements had begun. In a shor:
time the incinerated remains OF severa
persons had been discovered. Up to 10
O'Clock Monday morning, ripe bodies
some OF which were burned beyond recog'
milton, had been found. There i.
some uncertainty about Che exact mum
Der already found, as in some cases a
handful of charrcd bones was the only
indication of a human life being lost
One Of the searchers said he thought the
number could be truthfully estimated at
twelve.
The general sentiment OF the people ap
pears to he one OF hopeiulness, and a Ge
termination at once to begin the recon
struction of the city. Some have al
ready got their building material on thu
ground.
A thousand men are at work clearing ny
the debris for the railroad company
Twenty contracts for rebuilding have beer
already let. Many men lost their all
but are determined to start up again
The property loss falls directly on tn
pioneer element OF the new city. Hun
drcds OF people are camped out. Their
are meager facilities for the re
lief Of the sufferers, but the PEG
pie of this city are especially open-hande'
in their efforts to relieve the distress
Prompt aid from the Canadian Pacifi
railway is expected. Most of the burned
frame buildings will be replaced with bnic
structures. Contracts for a large hote
and other extensive buildings Representing
$500, 600 were let just before the fire.