Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-12

The vote has increased greatly since the
above record was made, and the table rep
resents little else than an indication of
county favorites. Against the 81 900 votes
cast as shown in the table, the question in
1889 will be settled by the vote of over
instead of winning on $4,000 votes, the
town that secures the prize will need in the
neighborhood of $4,000 votes. Should
the contest settle down to two towns, or
even three, this number might be too few.
ABERDEEN LOSES THE COUNTY SEAT.
Judge Palmer, attorney for Columbia in
the Brown.county seatcontest, has received
telegram from the clerk of the United
States supreme court announcing that that
august body has affirmed the decision of
the Dakota supreme court. This decision
is final, and settles the question that the
records of Brown county must be taken
back from Aberdeen to Columbia. 1t has
been long, stubborn contest.
LOOKS FAVORABLE TO THE CONsTI-
TUITION.
The Pioneer-.Press editorial correspond
ence says: $50 the farmers alliance has
declared for the Sioux Falls constitution.
1t has thousands of votes. With the re-
publicans virtually united for this instru-
ment, the friends of constitutional prohi-
bition unanimously favoring it, and the
farmers enthusiastic for it's readoption,
there is not a shadow. of chance to defeat
1t. The voters may doctor it later, but
this year the chief business before them is
to get into the union. In Gov. Mellette's
address to the G.. A. r. at Aberdeen he
NH lI1u ~ l..
fellow citizens at Watertown by urging the
old soldiers to vote for the Sioux Falls
constitution These two speeches will in
fuence thousands to pursue this course
who might have remained undecided until
the END OF the campaign. 1t makes deal
of difference who gives the keynote of
campaign and how he gives it. Mellette
has struck it just right"
GOV. MELLETTE's APPo1NrEEs.
Governor Mellette has appointed new
board of trustees for the school of mines
at Rapid City as follows: Virgil T. Price
and John r. Brennan, of Pennington
county: S. NJ. Booth, of Custer county.
and R. E. Grimshaw and M. c. Connors,
OF Lawrence county. He has also an
pointed J. C. McManima. of Pierre, terri
torial auditor. and F.. II. Hagerty, of
Aberdeen, commissioner of immigration.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.
Reports of the damage done by prairie
fires during the terrific wind of April End
come from widely distributed points
throughout South Dakota. Damage is not
confined to property alone. but even hu
man life was sacrificed to the awful com
Sination of the natural elements. The ex-
tremely dry condition which March left
things in made danger from fire specially
Imminent. while the long continued and
feroclous wind drove the hames with ire
slstable force. 1t will be weeks vet before
the full summary of al! the damage wronoht
can be fairly estimated.
Miss Annie Sweeney, aged about 25
Years. was driven by the Times from her
fathers farm house near Hiphmore on
April End. into the burning prairie, where
she was sutfocated by smoke and burned to
crisp. She had been left alone that day
by her father, widower, for whom she
was housekeeper. and the fire came in his
absence in Hignmore. where he was mott
ned OF her death and of the loss Of all the
buildings on his farm. The news was
brought by. Thomas T. Cody. who came
for physician to attend Mrs. Thomas w.
Tibbs who was seriously burned. her little
son being burned to a cinder.
The village of Mt. Vernon was almost
entirely consumed by fire Oh the End. All
the business part Of the town was burned.
Every business house and nearly all the
residences were destroyed. The Chicago.
Milwaukee and st. Paul depot, together
with about fifteen or twenty freight cars.
and four large elevators fell victims to the
flames. The loss reaches nearly $500. 600.
with but very little insurance. A hundred
families are left homeless and utterly des-
t1tute. II was caused by a prairie fire
which came in from the northwest. One
hundred citizens from Mitchell went up TO