New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-04
PRAIRIES SWEPT BY FIRE.
LAST YEARS GRASS BURNING IN a GALE
FARMS DEVASTATED IN PARTS OF DAKOTA AND
MINEEsoTA-oNE TOWN PARTIALLY
DESTROYED

FARMS DEyAsrkTED IN PARTS OF DAKOTA AND
MINGEsoTA-oNE TOWN PARTIALLY
DESTROYED.
St Paul, April s.-Extensive fires are reported
in Southwestern Minnesota. The grass on the
praifies Is very dry, and the wind has been blow
ing almost a gale. The entire population Of
Beaver Creek was out fighting the G, mes to-day.
dispatch to ''The Pioneer Press from Baird
City, Oak, says: A prairie fire started one mile
northeast Of here at noon and was driven by
gale Three houses were burned One Of them
was occupied by Mrs. G. e. Bailey, Eloiss Madi-
son, age seventeen, and hired man named As
ton. The three left the house and ran through
the flames. Mrs. Bailey and Aston escaped with
some severe burns. Miss Madison fell, and the
fire catching her clothing burned it completely
from her body. She was taken to q neighbor's,
where she lies at the point Of death.
Fire swept over the country south of Scotland.
Oak, yesterday. A high wind prevailed all
day, and with the grass as dry as tinder, the
terrific force Of the fire is beyond description.
Alfred Browns barns, dairies, and cattIe-sheds
were destroyed. His house was saved, but all his
household goods that had been carried out by
the family were burned One mile north OF
Browns, the fire burned Henry Hagelfrys house,
barns and stock, and he barely escaped with his
family. Across from Haselfry lived d. K Tom
lnson, prosperous farmer, and everything about
his place except his house was swept away. Five
houses and several head OF live stock were among
his losses. His wife was at home alone when
the fire broke out and could do nothing TO save
the property. BY evening the fire in the west
had been extinguished, but it Is still raging in
the southeast The town Of Olivet the county
seat of Hutchison County, eight miles north Is
reported to be more than half burned up. The
bridges on the railroad west Of the town were
burned The losses for the last two days win
be fully $4,000. A dispatch from Blunt Dak
to The Minneapolis Journal says: The whole
country around Blunt is being devastated bv
prairie fires. Several buildings In the suburbs
have been burned, but the city is % vet safe
J. !. Richardson lost 500 sheep cattle ard hogs
Many farmers are homeless. A strong wind aross
before the fire, doing considerable dainages
dispatch to The Roneer-Prcsss from Aher-
deem, Oak, says: Leola, county seat Of Nc
pher3on County, thirty:fve miles northwest Of
yesterdays whirlwind The fire came nom tas iais
west, and was not noticed until it struck the
town, on account Of the terrible storm.
Sixty dwellings and business houses wers
burned, causing loss OF $4,000. Tho
PHPy H6yy,s buildings aaRns sna M as ts cCs t
and Thomas Wardell were terribly burned, and
couPers from the demolished village say they cam
not live until morning. Leola Is an interior
town. with no railroads or telegraphs, and further
drove across the country to Westport, the nearesb
railroad station, say that the surronding country
Is nearly devastated. Hundreds of farmh0usss
are in ashes and the homes OF burned animals
A dispatch from Vermillion, Oak, says: Word
reached here to-day Of destructive fires north and
vest Of here Gillette's sawnili and 500 cords oe
wood were DESTROYED and several other buildings.'