Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-10-08
A PRAIRIE FIRE.
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF A RECENT
STRUGGLE OF THE FARMERS.

STRUGGLE OF The tAHmtHS.
,. l., A..
no" '"" '' o
North"est-spread oil the Devastating
Element-The Tumble weed-Perh from
Water Courses.
a prairie nre III DaAola ullieIs NhS'Ly
from tllose liee "ii'i, III tno oly uas, .E
were hot uii'oiiiiiloi, III inliotS L, iioiII 'lie
tacI 'iiaI 'he grass III oano's y ~ iiiuSh .ISh
less rahh anu "ily apoi' ole VI VI eio
helSht OF 'ha1 oi .he liilhols Prairies ror
TINS reason an iiiolplen' pun ie tho ~
paho'a uiu nov appeai W sie ~ oo :" .ety
ianSeious 'pinS vi 'ii' 'Aiiiie ~ " S
WIN inns error was sool uiopener ~ , "nen
saw hiie vi iiaiiie o'eI i, Iiiio s Ions
hlahIi,S icau"ay asSs an. ot l.n:ieI y. =.
Aieu WIN imp ioeu iI"ti', O.
ih'efNaiso Vi Saiu Vi W., ',i,
he' anu slaPPinS 0u' 'ie "i' "i''i i"p'U
Anu 'lsoioue "io"e
CONTEST WITH The FLAMES
When the alarm came TO town every
vehicle on the street was filled with men,
the horses whipped into a gallop and
driven over hill and creek till the nre was
reached. Others followed raptdly Dring-
ing casks OF water, Old rags, Drooms, oid
woolen cloths and STICKS. Inc SUCKS
were converted into mops or Halls by nav
ing the old cloths tied On one END. lhese
we're soaked in the water, and as we ar
rived at the fire we joined In the contest
with the army already there Ihe II nimes
coming over little nil covered Win
bunch grass ana bufiaIo grass seemed not
over foot high and appeared easy 10
overcome, but though twenty men aouh-
dantly supplied with water ana weapons
cOntended with 1t they found II dlincult
to prevent its lateral extension, while
under the impetus OF SUN Dreeze Ironl
the south, IT'S 'front.' swept north"aru a1
the rate OF about SIX miles an hour
against the efforts TO arrest IL.
Fortunate indeed Is the settler VINO mas
an abundant supply OF water. IN this nre
three teams were kept at gallop carry
ing saturated cloths ana water 10 satu-
rate Others up ana down the hne OF pat
tie to supply the defenders ana IL kept
fifty men busy to defend line OF less than
mile and prevent the westward spread
Of the flames to the stacks and buildings
OF the FARMERS, ana they were alueu III
this by long stretch OF ground tha' had
been moved to within an inch OF the sur
face. Here, to my astonishment, the IRE
found fuel IN the crisp bufialo grass ana
short stubble; the former burning as ii
saturated win haptha, anu thoush the
flames did not mount high, their neat was
so intense that those who fought them
without sticks to their cloth weapons mad
their hands and faces phstered. friendly
field OF late max, which was ABOUT SIX
inches high and still green. arrested tle
northward sweep and narrowed Us course
Northward OF TINS neld the nghters hur
ried to keep the fire IN It's narrowed
limits A dry creek anu swamp win
heavy growth OF rushes gave additional
food to the fiames, ana Tor 1ew minutes
there was an excellent imitation Oh nre
L witnessed IN llilnols III lofo. AiohE
this creek 1t swept unreslsted because
irresistible, ana followed the course o.
the dry bed OF the creek easterly Oeyoho
our reach widening the front Oh the nr'
and threatening TO make lts destructive
| swath many miles VIDE when deep poo
arrested its eastward course ana rams
growth OF green weeds lmpeded its north
ward progress ana kept II "ithln th'
limit o! about mile In "ldth.
AT this rate II sped north~aru' the ne
role people nghtlng IL ana gradually mar
rowing II tili hidhlsht- "neh II was eA
tlnguished about hiteen miles from "her'
II started. IN lts course IL iouhu pul h'
tie to give II extra impetus. A paper
covered shanty, wlnrows, or small rick
OF hay. or Dry laKe-oed LOT the HTS
three mics; then STACK Oh lour OF h's
tons oil nay lew % barley OF straw, ant
fortunately lor All, Dut lie" oi 'hose as
| slstant demons OF the prairie Jury, tn'
tumble weeds. rms NegetaDie ihcenularS
"a weed that rlPehs carry anu Is Dy NJ
means ciassed Win Ihe portulacca iaiiiiil
ana when flpe Is almost true sPhere
varying from tWelNe 10 twenty ihches Ii
diameter-Dreaks from its roots "hel
dry: IT'S hght stalks ana dry leaves arr
struck py the wlhu' anu IL goes rOllne
ana tumonhg, oouhuihe over 10" op
strucuohs as Wouio 10Y oaliooh' ano
more rapidiy than "oulu stra" nat
Neglected. nelds are very prolihc oi tneni
ana they may pe seen oy huhureus ano
thousands IN the railway cuts ana ul'ches
against snow FENCES anu among tn'
standing corn Nheh one vi these taheS
nre' ana goes over roaus anu pr .eo
GROUNDS, IL carries 'he hre past al oFuIh
AIRY nre guards, eludes the cohtehuihe
force OF hre hehters' ana klhoies ne" hre'
Tor them 10 resist
Inc lire herein uescrloeu was not oh'
81 our worst. one that originated Oh
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