The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1902-12-12
SOUTH DAKOTA NEWS
Fires.

Fires.
The fire department of Yankton
was called upon to cope with three
separate fires i'll different parts of
the city, early one morning, and
there is little doubt that it was the
work of incendiaries.
All of the fires occurred at about
3 o'clock. At that time the night
Waterman at the Pierce hotel dis
covered a blaze on one of the floors
of tina hosiery. Investigation show
ed that the floor had been soaked
with oil and a match applied in two
places. The department experienced
little trouble in extinguishing it.
The home of J. II. Fall was next
discovered to be on fire. The in
cendariaries were frightened away
before they completed their work.
A hole had been made in the cellar
door, and some excelsior placed there
and lighted. 1t was discovered be-
fore much damage was done. The
i~ncendiaries dropped several matches
while making their escape.
More success followed their efforts
when a barn belonging to- Daniel
flgott was ignited. 1t was burned
to the ground, although the animals
were saved.
There is no clue to the guilty per-
sons, and there appears to have been
no motive for their work. The police
are working on the case.
Forest Reserve.
The Black Hills forest reserve is
of greater Importance than any other
United States forest reserve, accord
ing to data in the report of the COM
missioner of the general land office
as compared with data obtained at
the office of Seth Bullock, supervisor
of the Black Hills reserve.
In several respects more business
is transacted yearly on. the Black
Hills reserve than on all the other re-
serves. There are in the United
States fifty-four reserves, embracing
a total area of 60,175,165 acres.
The area of the Black Hills reserve
is 1,211,6s0 acres. The total area
burned over during the year on all
reserves by forest fires was s7,799
acres, of which 1921 acres was on
the Black Hills reserve. The total
expense of fighting fires on all re-
serves was S3,27S. The expense on
the Black Hills reserve was $3.50. The
amount received from the sale OF
timber on all reserves was $~25,431.75.
The amount received on the Black
Hills reserve was $%20,269.55.
Sunk by Rats.
Navigation on the Missouri river is
still fraught with peri1s, some OF
which arise from unexpected sources.
This was the case with the ferryboat
which carries freight and passengers
to and fro on the big Muddy" at
Wheeler.
The boat suddenly sprung a leak
and in a few moments sank to the
bottom of the river, the captain and
crew narrowly escaping death by
drowning.
The boat was a comparatively new
one, and what caused it to sink is a
mystery. The only explanation
which can be offered as yet is that
rats, which are known to be quite
plentiful on ferryboats, gnawed a
hole in the bottom of the boat and
caused it to sink. If this is the COR
rect solution, it is probably the first
instance on record in which a Mis-
souri, river boat has been sunk in this
manner
.M ASK tOC 7SIps
An effort will probably be made to
have the interior department make
exceptions in the recent ruling, COM
polling able bodied Indians to work
for their livelihood, lin favor of a
large number of aged and indignant
Indians occupying various reserva-
lions in South Dakota.
Reduced to abject poverty, no long
er able to supply themselves with the
means of subsistence because of the
depletion of all game preserves with
in their reach, they make dramatic
appeals to the Great Father to fur
Their reimburse them for the Black
Hills, which they coded to the whites
by the treaty of Sept. 26, 1876, and
which they nov claim was signed by
a large majority OF them without
1ully understanding it's purport.
Resigned.
Mic Phillips, ex-warden of the
Sioux Falls penitentiary, well known
throughout the state, has resigned a
position as private secretary to Sen
ator Kittredge, to which place he was
appointed Immediately after Kilt
redge's elevation to the senate. Phil
lips successor will not be selected
for a week or more. Who will secure
the place is not yet definitely known.
Killed.
Horace Ross was instantly killed
in the Puma mine at Lead. He fell