The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-04-18
THE DEMON OF THE PRAIRIE.

THE DEMON OF THE PRAIRIE.
Terrible Prairie Fires In the sioux VALLEY
The Loss ~ Life and Property.
Prom the sioux city Journal
The Sioux Valley from McCook as far
north rs Beloit, and the country TO the
westward, was on Saturday the scene OF
prairie fires which were indescribably
appalling in the ruin and widespread
devastation they wrought. Our prairie
country has heretofore been the theater
Of thrilling experiences in this line, but
the fires OF Saturday seem TO have been
the most destructive To property Of any
on record in this region The wind
blew gale and hurled the flames along
in great pillows which leaped over all
ordinary fire breaks. and consumed
houses, barns and stock which were
thought to be safe from fiery invasion.
The growth Of grass last season was I'M
usually heavy. and having had no rain
since early last fall, every thing was dry
as finder and burned with great rapidity
and fierceness.
West Of Eden the Are was very furious
and destructive. So far As heard from,
several townships were burned over,
and in that immediate section more than
forty farmers have lost their houses,
barns, hay, seed grain, implements,
stock, in fact about all the personal
property they possessed. a. .wheelock
Of Eden, who was in the city yes
terday, tells US that from his store door
he counted thirteen burning houses
at one time. Many of the men burned
out were in town that day, and seeing
the fire sweeping down almost with the
speed of the wind, started .heir teams
in hot haste for home, which in some
cases were in plain sight of the village,
but before they could get there the
flames had swooped down upon their
places and left nothing but ruins where
but few moments before had stood
house, barn, stacks, and al the conven-
fences and appointments of prosperous
homes. 1t was simply awful, and our
stricken people are almost dazed by the
terrible blow which has fallen upon
them. Among the buildings burned
was large Norwegian church Eve miles
west Of Eden. 1t is reported that in
this neighborhood child was so badly
burned that it died in a few hours, and
the father in attempting TO save it was
also 50 seriously scorched that his life
was despaired Of. At this writing de-
tails from the stricken section are very
meager, and il Is sad to think that when
the particulars Of the dire disaster begin
TO come in we shall undoubtedly have
to chronicle individual cases OF death
and suffering which will fairly
- -
row and pity Five miles north
west of Beloit Norwegian nam
ed Nicholson, while endeavoring to
save his house, was caught in the fire and
fatally burned. He was taken to Beloit
still alive, but there was no hope Of his
surviving There is also a report from
that locality of two men being burned \
70 death, but no particulars could be
obtained. The fire was very destructive
in the vicinity Of Portlandville, and il is
said that not less than 20 farmers lost
barns, grain, stock, etc, though at this
writing IL is not known that any dwell
ing houses were destroyed. Andrew
Hoyt, two and half miles from Port
landville, lost his barn, granary, farm
machinery, Several head Of young cattle
and q lot OF hogs. A school-house in
this vicinity was burned The fire RACED
fiercely at McCook, and did considera-
Bile damage, AZ reported in our columns
Sunday morning. 1t was at this point
the telegraph poles were burned and
communication by wire cut of. The
damage. however, was promptly repair
ed, and the line is now working all
right. Our Elk Point correspond \
ent writes that the fire struck
in six miles west Of that place,
on the south side OF the railroad
track, burning granary belonging TO
Eric Richardson, and destroying 200
bushels Of seed wheat burning 200
bushels and spelling the balance. 20 that
It Is worthless except for feed The fire
also burned u school-house with all the
contents, also much fence and hay and
an unoccupied house on the Rennick
place. By the same fire John ID. Wood
lost his house, barn and three cows r.
M Budde lost his house and stabling,
and place known as the Abbott House
was also burned. The destruction on
every hand is widespread. On the same
day, at White Swan, just opposite Fort
prairie fire burned the tele-
graph, express and post-oflices, the
stables with contents, ex-
cepf stock, which was saved. The tele-
graph Office lost its instruments, and,
until new ones are supplied, the point Is
cut of from telegraphic communication,
Or else we would have fuller particulars
from that point, where the fire seems to
have been very destructive. Further
from the burned section
will be awaited with sad yet eager inter-
est.
Following are particulars Of the prai-
ne fre west Of Eden Saturday and Sun