The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1882-02-07
Selert Stury.
SURROUNDED BY FIRE.

Life upon the "Border" is alwavs at
tended with more or less danger and ex
element, and even 1owa,in her advanced
stage, is not exempt from it.
There are still large tracts of unsettled
lailie over which devastating flames
sweep annually. notwithstanding the fec
that our laws attach heavy penalties to
the crime OF setting out fires at this sea
son of the year On the evering of No
vember 2. 1880, l rode out for the dis
lance OF seven miles, to witness prai
rie fire, that | might accurately describe
it TO our readers.
The settlement extends about five
miles east of Bur Oak Grove, and from
thence an uncu tivated prairie, 25 miles
in width, offers grand scope for the
flames. On the evening in question We
assembled an emiuence and beheld one
uCbroken line of fire extending from
north to south. as far as the eye could
reach, now bending to the east for mile
or two, and now to the west, bounded on
one side by blackened waste, on the
other by q brown expanse over which
the flames were steadily advancing
As it moved over the short upland
grass, it was not more than foot in
height; in other places it shot skyward
in frey jets, as it struck the swampy
ground. where reeds and flags grew rank
and tall, while, scattered over the black
ened space, huge pyramids!pf fame light.
ed the scene for miles around, marking
places where tons of bay were making
midnight fires
The wind was low and the line moved
leisurely along, in strong contrast with
the evening before, when young man
residing with bis widowed mother upon
the outskirts Of the settlement had dis
covered the fife sweeping down on them
borne by fierce head-wind that threat.
ened 10 destroy all hefole it.
The usual mode Of protecting isolated
farms, is to plow strip of land about
twenty feet in width around the prem .
ses. and in ordinary cases the fire will
not pass over; hut it was evident that
with such breeze, blowing wcul'l be oI
but little avail, and in company with the
nearest nelghbor, the young man under.
took the hazardous work of fighting il
back by fire, that is by burning the prai-
rie in small pa ches before it has time to
sweep down in one extended line. Iu
places it was eaay enough; in Others il
required all their efforts to keep it from
getting beyond their control. For seve.
raj hours they kept it within bounds, bu
suddenly a whirlwind passed through ths
fire, scattering the sparks and burning
grass in luminous shower about them
The fire started anew in Thousand
places, as sparks caught and ignited, ex
panding in flaming sheets of light whic'
grew wider and wider with every breatt
Of the wind.
"Mercirul Heaven! we are surround
ed" exclaimed the older man as b,
glanced hastily about for some means o
escape.
There was no time for consultation
the flames were sweeping down from th
east, borne by the resis less force of tn
wind which caught The tall grass as
burnei off at the roots. ana hurled
forward upon the inflammable vegetation
beyond.
IL they retreatei before it they mus
pass over piece of swampy ground
where grass and reads grew rank an
strong, witt every prospect Of bein
overtaken in worse place than wher
they were.
On came the aimas like wrsthfr
fend Every moment the air grew ho
ter and the sparks thicker as the dange
GUS element was borne toward them o
the wings Of the wind, and each actin
upon his own impulse fed in opposit
directions. The Younger man ra
straight toward the flames, and althoue
the burning space appeared to be only
line; he found 1t much wider than b
supposed, and instead Of clearing it vii
a bound, as he had intended, he WI
obliged to pass over several rolls {