The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1874-10-24
FINED FoRFxRING THE PRAIRIE

FINED FORELRING THE PRAIRIE.
On Monday last a son of Henry Bald.
win was sent by his father to break
around a school house in Elk township
for the purpose of protecting the build
ing from prairie fires. The boy broke
several burrows around the house, and
Chen set fire to the grass thinking lie
could keep the fire within bounds. But
there was quite wind blowing from
the south and the fire leaped the one or
two burrows made and went careering
over Elk township with the speed of 4
racer. When it reached the place of
NJ. L. Miller, near the northern line of
the township, the flames made clear
Teapot three rods, that is clear over
two rods of breaking with a rod of
grass between them, and swept over
his farm and into his hay burning up
a considerable quantity. All his best
hay, however, was saved, and his loss
is inconsiderable. We have not heard
of any extensive damage being done by
the fire, other than the general damage
done by the burning of the grass.
Mr.. Alley, seeing that fire was
abroad, fastened to the school house
where it started and advised the boy to
come to town at once and submit to the
conditions imposed by the law, which
imposes fine of from five to one hun
dred dollars, or imprisonment in case
the fine is not paid. The boy appeared
before Justice Bennett and was fined
ten dollars with costs. A light fine
was imposed in view of the facts that
the firing was done by youth in the
performance of a work intended for the
public benefit, and was wholly the re-
suit of an error of Judgement. The
boys father, and every one else, in fact,
approves of the fine. The case is one
in which as much leniency as possible
should be shown, and is therefore prob
ably the best example that could have
been had, as showing the determination
of the people prosecute in every case.
The old adage will be made true this
fall, that it is dangerous to play with
fire.
Some persons claim the right to use
fire to protect their own stacks and
property, but if they thereby endanger
their neighbours property they have no
such right.
1t is a question whether the law
should not be so amended as to prohib-
it the firing of prairie grass at all, so
long as there are such vast stretches of
prairie over which the fire may sweep
endangering the property of the set
tiers.
The prairie, at this time of the year,
is liable to take fire upon very slight
provocation. A spark from a loco
motive, lighted cigar stump, a gun
wad ard especially the camp fires of
teamsters and movers, may start prai-
RE fires and do great damage. We are
informed that the patent gun wad will
not fire the prairie but that there is
danger from using paper or cotton
wads, a fact which should be known to
hunters.
Those who. have stacks and stables to
protect may make them secure by now
ing the grass close for some distance
around them, then sprinkliny a little
hay over the short grass and burning
while the dew is OH. Where there is
so much at stake, the utmost precau-
ton should be exercised to prevent fir
ing the main prairie.
The public may rest assured that
those detected in illegally firing the
prairie will be promptly prosecuted.
Mr.. james A. Mann died on Sunday
last of inflammation Of the bowels. He
was taken about midnight on Saturday
night and died at 3 O'Clock Sunday af-