The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-22
THE RECENT DAKOTA STORM.
Story that the Loss of Life Has Been Under
estimated, but Statements II Denied.

Story that the Loss of Life Has Been Under
estimated, but Statements In Denied.
NEBRASKA CRY. Neb., Jan. 2l.-Judge J. T.
Kinney, agent of the Yankton Sioux Indian
agency in Dakota, arrived here yesterday, after
being nine days on the road. Five days were
necessary for the party to travel thirty miles.
The thermometer during the FIVE days was at
40 below zero most of the time. The Judge
says the LOSE of life in Dakota has been greatly
/ underestimate, as the Dakota papers have
tried to cover it up. He describes the scene
which took place board the cars. The coal
was running low and the passengers were
crow ded into one car trying to keep warm. Two
babies persisted. The men discarded all the
outer garments they could spare and gave them
to the ladies and children. Finding these not
enough, they brought mailsacks from the postal
car and wrapped the children in them. While
at one station in Bonhomme county, the Judge
says, nineteen frozen bodies were brought into
the depot in one day. In Bonhomme county the
list of dead will reach 160 The estimates as
made at Yanktop yesterday of the loss of life
throughout the Territory figure up over 1000.
The eSu ,o, where the loss Of life life
Hutchinson, IA; Lincoln, ID; Beadle,
25; Sphinx. II; Hand, 10; Ward. 10. The
northern and central parts of the Territory
have not been heard from fully. Mr.. Kinney
named number of curious incidents relative to
the wanderines of those who went out into the
storm. Mrs Browning. of Turner county, went
from her house to the stable, distance of one
hundred feet. and her body recovered on
Sunday, miles from home. Charles
Dollinger, farmer of Turner county, persisted
seven feet from his house An unknown woman
OF the same county went to for her chick
ems and was found two miles from her house
Roads from the agency to Yankton are lined
with dead cattle. many farmers losing all they
had. One lost hundred. The
loss OF stock cannot be estimated. T.
driving toward Yankton when the blizzard
struck them. The horses refused to proceed,
and were turned loose. Mr.. Clark took a strap
and fastened one end to Mrs Clark and the
other end to himself, and turning their backs
to the wind, wandered at random. They came
to hay stack. into which they burrowed, and
crawied out aud proceeded to house He was
obliged TO crawl on his hands and knees, as his
clothes were frozen stiff. He reached the house
and procured assistance to go after Mrs
Clark. She was dead when found William
Relswag and a hired man, living near Tripp
were found frozen to death within few feet of the
stable to which they had gone to care for stock.
Joshua Taylor and two sons started to water
their stock before the storm came up. Their
bodies have not yet been found. Judge Kinney
has received word from the agency. and he says
that while a large number of Indians were out
hunting and hauling wood. none are missing.
Judge Kinney was accompanied all through the
scenes of suffering by his wife. Both were
slightly frozen about the hands and feet.
MINNEAPoLIs Mimi. Jan. 2L-In regard to
the Nebraska telegram quoting Indian Agent
Kinney, to the effect that the loss Of life in Da-
kota by the blizzard has been greatly under
estimated and that the total loss will figure up
to 1000, Mr.. J. S. McLain, editor of the Jour
nal says: This statement is an evident alb
surdity. Future reports rather likely to de-
crease than increase the list Over a week has
passed since the blizzard broke and the
Journal has had complete returns from its CORPS
of correspondents in every important point in
the Territory. 1t is simply impossible that
news has been suppressed, for the Journal re-
ports have been verified entirely by those of the
morning papers. How man who confesses to
having been showed up for the past nine days
estimate the loss of life with more accuracy
than newspapers in constant telegraphic COM
munication with the whole territory is incom-
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