The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1904-05-18
EDldck g.
|1Aduentdre.
SAVED BUFFALO BILLS HOME

4 4 iicrceand destructive prairie
HoH fire which swept the open
range of North Platte from the West
wednesday night. Miles beyond the
dry grass and weeds of the prairie
became ignited from the sparks of a
passing train, and stiff wind soon
famed the flames into a condemnation
and carried fiery waves toward the
east at the rate of thirty miles an hour.
The sheaf of wind was not so very
wide, else the destruction to the coun-
try west Of North Platte would have
reached greater proportions than it
did. As it was, everything in the path
of the fire was burned, and when the
last embers had died out there was a
black strip hundreds of yards wide
extending across the prairie as far as
the eye could reach.
The big Cody ranch belonging to
Mrs. w. f. Cody. wife of Buffalo
BILL" was directly in the path of the
fire. Mrs. Cody had seen the red
flames from her home in the darken-
ing twilight long distance away, and
she knew that unless the wind shifted
the flames would soon descend upon
her broad acres Mrs. Cody mounted
a feet horse, and taking powerful
pair of field glasses rode to the far
western boundary of the ranch to bet
ter watch the progress of the fire that
was SO swiftly and surely eating its
way towards her home.
Only once, and then only for few
moments, did the wind veer, but in
few minutes Boreas had changed his
mind, and again famed the tiames
into greater fury, and drove them with
increased speed toward the East. 1t
was then that Mrs. Cody realized
that the big ranch and its expensive
buildings must surely fall prey to the
fire. She turned the horses head for
home. and applied the lash with such
vigor to the tanks and sides of the
animal that it broke into a terrific gal
lop. When the ranch home was
reached both rider and horse were al.
most in state of collapse. She gave
orders to the employees to prepare to
fight the flames, which had now
reached the western outskirts of the
ranch, and We're rapidly eating their
way toward the farm buildings. Men
We're sent back to check the flames
with water and earth. Flows were
hastily rugged and attached TO -four
and six horse teams. and wide fur
rows turned across the path of the
fire. But all these measures served
to hold the flames in control for Il
short time only, and when the wine
suddenly increased the fire drove tn,
brave men and women back and con
tinued its onward sweep.
BY this time townspeople of Nortl
Platte began to arrive in answer T.
the summons for help. They came OIL
foot. on horseback, on bicycles in bug
giles, in automobiles, and in wagons
Each squad Joined the fire fighters. al
of whom performed yeoman servic
under the personal direction Of Mr.
Cody.
The wind crowded the flames stead
lily forward, driving the half suffoca
ed and now exhausted fire fighters t.
ward the ranch buildings. Here a las
determined stand was made. but n
to no avail. Mrs. Cody continued
direct operations, and 1t was due
her unerring judgment that the losse
entailed were not greater. She wa
calm and collected throughout The tr!
ing ordeal, and 1t was not until til
flames had caused all the damage the
could did her woman's nature asset
itself Then she tainted.
The Cody home was saved, but tw
immense buildings, one contained 4,
tons of hay and the other all of Il
farm implements, We're destroye
causing loss of fully $1O.OO0.-Denv,
Post