The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1904-05-13

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SAVED BUFFALO BILLS HOME.
-9otz. HE bravery OF the Cody
II woman was never better
. 8 illustrated than during the
4 a + nerceaud acknowledgements
SSolS 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 iguitcd from the sparks OF
passing train. aud a stn wind soon
famed the flames into a connngratlon
and carried fiery waves toward the
east at the rate Of thirty miles an hour.
The shcaf OF wind was not so very
Wide. else the destruction to the coun-
try west OF North Platte would have
reached greater proportions than Il
did. As II was. everything In the path
OF the fire was burned aud when the
last embors had died out there was
black strip hundreds Of yards wide
extending across the prairie as far us
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 darkcn-
ing twilight a long distance away. and
she knew that unless the wind shifted
the flames would soon descend upon
her broad acres. Mrs. Cody mounted
a fleet horse. and taking u 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 80 swiftly and surely eating It's
way towards her home.
Only once, and then only for few
moments, did the wind veer. but In a
few minutes Boreas had changed his
mind, and again famed the flames
into greater fury, ana drove them with
increased speed toward the East II
was then that Mrs. Cody realized
that the big ranch and It's expensive
buildings must surely fall prey 10 the
fire. She turned the horses head FOL
home. and applied the lash with sucl
vigor to the Hanks ana sides OF IN,
animal that II broke into a terrific gal
lop. When the ranch home wa,
reached both rider and horse were al
most In state OF collapse. She CAV,
orders TO the employees TO prepare &,
fight the ilames which had nov
reached the western outskirts Of tn
ranch. ana were rapidly eating thel
way toward the farm buildings. Mci
were sent back TO check the flame
with water and earth. Plows wer
hastily rugged and attached TO fou
and six horse teams. and wide fur
rows turned across the path OF th
fire. But all these measures serve,
20 hold the flames Ia control Tor
short time only. and when the win
suddenly increased the lire drove IN
brave men and women back and cor
tinued its onward sweep.
by this time townspeopie OF Mort
Platte began TO arrive In answer {
the summons for help. They came o
foot. on horseback. on bicycles, IN bus
giles. In automobiles. and IN wagons
Each squad Joined the fire fighters. a
OF whom performed yeomaa servlc
under the personal direction OF Mr.
Cody.
The wind crowded the flames steaC
fly forward. driving the half sunoca
ed and now exhausted fire fighters {,
ward the ranch buildings Here a Ia,
determined stand was made. but II
to no avail. Mrs, Cody continued I
direct operations. and Il was due |
her unerrlng Judgment that the loss,
ontalled We're not greater. She wa
calm and collected throughout the tr!
ing ordeal. and II was not until III
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 ana the other all OF Il
farm implements, were destroye
causing loss Of fully S10,OOO.-Deny,
Post
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