Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-10-14
PRAIRIE FIRES.
Deer Thirty, Square Miles of Territory
burned Oue-Bay3as, GranaTies, H0y
and Stock of alt Kinds Destroyed.

OVeT lhtTty square Mites Of TeTfitOTy
burned Ooes-Bar,ss, Granaries, Hay
and Stock Of alt Kinds Destroyed.
benson (Minn.) Times, Oct. III
Sunday last about 10 4. NJ, the prairie east
of the Pomme de Terre river was either set
on fire or by some unaccountable way by a
small blaze sprang up. The wind was then
blowing gale from the west, and soon the
fiery fiend spread with lightning like rapid
ity north. south and east at the rate of about
SIX miles an hour, licking up everything be-
fore il:
Before it had reached nine miles east, il
had spread north and south distance OF
twenty-three miles, and in this way moyed
east through the unusually heavy rank
grass.
Although we had called the farmers at
tentlon to blowing and breaking around
their farms for the last three weeks, it seems
That many did not heed the warning, until
the fiery demon had taken their all, and
then, and only then, did many realize their
exact situation. At Clontarf it crossed the
railroad, burning the ties and telegraph
poles, which fell across the track.
Among the many who had granaries,
barns, houses, horses and stock, and pro
duce OF all kinds swept away, we have only
noted the following; The granary of John
heardon, which contained about 500 bushels
OF wheat, and his lumber wagon standing
near the granary loaded with about forty
bashels of wheat, was destroyed at about 2
P. NJ. "Nat" Nolan lost his barn and his
only team of horses, which were in there at
the time. Mr.. Nolan is poor man, and the
loss falls very heavily on him. Mike Dono-
van lost large new barn, in which hundreds
OF bushels of wheat and oats were stored.
Mr.. Gaughan, living in that vicinity, had
MS nay, about forty tons, destroyed in less
time than it takes to tell it. Many others
lost either grain, hay or stock of some kind.
and II we were to note each loss it would fill
our paper. About 6 o'clock P. M. our town
was filled with smoke, and at the fire could
De seen approaching at distance, and in a
Short space of time it reached the strip of
ash and elm timber on the west bank of the
Chippewa river, where it presented grand
sight running up among the leaves of the
trees, the sparks dying out high in the air.
Sam Cornall, who lives west of the river,
also lost some hay, the exact amount we
could not learn.
prairie fires that has occurred in this section
for years. and should put every farmer on
his guard hereafter. AS near as we can
learn, this fire alone burned an area of thirty
square miles, and the loss to settlers will
figure between $4,000 and $4,000.
Monday night another fire started five
miles east of town, and by 9 P. M. was
only few miles away, circling to the south.
but destroyed no property that we have
heard of.
Jap Edwards, of the town of Hegbert
Swift county. undertook TO burn around his
house. The fire meanwhile got away from
him, burning four stacks of wheat for his
ne1ghbor. Jap will pay up for all damage
done. x y III. Brady's house. four
miles southwest of town, narrowly escaped
being burned on Friday last by prairie fire.
The fire was seen approaching by Mrs.
Brady, and as Messrs. Smart and Foster
were going by at the time she hailed them.
and after some quick work the fire was
stopped only few feet from the house. = y
A flock of sheep belonging to Joseph
Mathleson, who lives several miles southeast
OF town, were feeding in swamp, when a
prairie fire encircled them. Mr.. Mathieson
ana his son Went as quickly as possible to
their rescue, and succeeded in saving all but
thirty. This number had their fleeces burned
black, their eyes burned out, and their
mouths burned so badly that it was impossi-
bic for them to eat Several have been
butchered, and the rest of the number burned
will undoubtedly share the same fate before
long. x x Charlie Foster. of
Buffalo Lake, had two yoke of cattle, 800
bushels of wheat, and all his hay, oats, straw
and farm machinery destroyed by prairie
ire during the past week. Another yoke of
cattle belonging to him was rescued in a
critical condition. We are certainly very
sorry that losses of this kind should continue
to occur, but until the farmers wake up to a
sense of their duty, no sympathy should be
extended to them, unless the same occurred
no negligence of their own.