The Cheyenne Daily Leader

A Man Fatally Burned on Dillon's Ranch - A Fire near Fort Fetterman.

The fire on the plains south of Ogalalla, already reported, burned over a large district of the country. Whether any stock has been lost or not has not yet been ascertained, but the range for forty miles south of Ogalalla, and on a wide belt of country has been greatly injured. On the ranch of Sidney Dillon & Co., force of men was turned out on Friday to fight the flames, and, most unfortunately, two hands were badly burned, one of whom has since died. It appears that the two men were working where the grass was quite heavy, and had already run their horses through a part of the fire to get at a point where they believed they might fight it to advantage. But the fire quickly passed back of them, and on their attempting to ride through it again their horses refused to move. One Abe Alexander, dismounted and trusting to his leather breeches as a defense, ran through the fire, badly burning his feet. Charles Doe the other man, followed him, but was not protected by anything more than ordinary clothing, which was soon afire. He was caught in a whirlwind before getting through the belt of fire, whirled around with the flames. Alexander dashed into the fire, and catching young Doe, dragged him out of it. Doe, however, was burned to a crisp about the lower part of the body. He was taken to North Platte, where he died on Sunday night. He suffered no pain, it is said, from the first. The two horses were so badly burned that it was thought best to shoot them. Abe Alexander, the doctor says, will get well. Charles Doe was only 19 years of age. He was in the employ of Dillon & Co., simply for the purpose of learning the cattle business, his father, Judge Doe of the supreme court of New Hampshire, intending to start him soon in business for himself. A telegram was sent to the father on Friday after Charles was burned, and an answer received instructing those attending him to spare no expense in trying to save his life.