Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-11-12
Especial Washington Letter.l

Especial w aSnlngtOn LeLLerI
s'I read with interest an interview
with my late colleague. Senator Petit
grew" said ex-senator Moody. of South
Dakota this morning II was particu-
larry Interested in his graphic descriP-
ton of the burning of Deadwood; but
he did not tell you all about it. The
heroism of those people in that frontier
town was unparalleled They rose to
the occasion and evinced independent
characteristics which surprised even
me. although | was their neighbor and
friend"
'sPlease tell me some Of the incidents,
senator"
Gre they manifested courage and fear
lessness which were truly heroic.
From my home on the hillside saw
score of determined men carrying kegs
of powder through the burning streets
TO a place of safety. Over a ton OF pow
der had been stored in what was be-
lieved 70 be 6reproof vault. but when
adjoining buildings were burning some
of the men feared an explosion, so they
entered the vault and carried the pow
der. In kegs, through the streets, while
on each side Of them for two or three
blocks the fires we're raging most terri
bly,"
'.was there only one powder house in
the city2"
mo. there were several One OF
them was filed with giant powder,
which was used in blasting by our
miners in the hills. You know giant
powder explodes only by heat and con-
cussion. Well. the house in which the
a.
ashes, the boxes containing the giant
powder were burned. and the powder
itself burned without an explosion
There was no conclusion, and hence no
explosion. But. in another vault. which
ewas presumably 6reproof, there were
more than two tons of giant powder,
which could not be removed. About
five o'clock one side of that vault
cracked with the heat, few of the
bricks fell in on the powder. and the re-
sultant explosion threw the debris of
the building over three hundred feet
into the air. My residence is about two
hundred feet above the town, on a hill
side. and the white bluffs opposite are
nearly four hundred feet high. could
flooring sailing away up the white
'how did the great fire originator"
''It started about one o'clock in the
morning in a bakery. The flames ex-
tended to an adjoining drug store.
which soon was wrapped in flames.
Some chemicals and oils exploded. and
when that occurred ! knew that the
town was doomed. could see the peo-
pie running out Of their homes holding
little pieces of wearing apparel or
blankets in their hands; while some Of
them. almost wholly naked. carried
little children and hurried to the hills
for safety. My premises were crowded
all night, and at least four hundred
camped in my yard fed over three
hundred at my breakfast table: in fact
fed every body who came until my pro-
visions were exhausted. and then sent
Cor more"
'Were there many people killed."
"Not a single life was lost. The
alarm was sounded the bells rang. and
citizens rushed from house to house
looking after their friends, SO that
every body escaped"
You say that when your provisions
were exhausted you sent for more.
Were not provisions pretty high just
thenP"
ION the contrary. not a single COM
modify was increased in price by the
circumstances of the calamity. Flour
would have easily brought fifty dollars
per barrel, but nobody thought of rails
ing the price of anything. We sent
Transfers across the Sioux reserva-
ton. distance of about two hundred
miles, to bring provisions to us. Our
merchants were obliged to get every
Ching by teams in those days, for we
had no railroad nearer than Pierre, on
the Missouri river. They soon had
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