Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-04-11
RAVAGES BY FIRE.
Villages and Farm Houses Swept
Completely Away.
The Losses Mount Up Into Millions
OF Dollars In Dakota and
Minnesota.

During the past few days South
Dakota and Minnesota have been swept
by n series of wind storms which have
caused hundreds of thousands OF dol
lars damage TO property, and several
lives have been lost The storm started
Monday, April LIST, and swept large
area south OF the Northern Pacific road
In Dakota. and extending into the
southern tiers Of counties in Minnesota.
The greatest damage has not been
caused by the wind alone, but in many
places fires, famed into fury by tho
storms, have wiped out of existence
several small villages and hundreds OF
farmers houses. Tho towns almost
completely destroyed are Violin, Olivet,
Pukwana, Lesterville and Mt. Vernon,
and three or four other villages were
badly damaged. Many head of cattle,
sheep and hogs also persisted. In many
places the crops were covered by loose
sand and dust and will have to be re-
planted. Travel was suspended on
some lines OF tho road on account OF
the great force of the wind. The
damage in Minnesota is much less than
in Dakota, MS the force OF tho storm
was pretty we'll spent before 1t reached
the border. The losses in South Dakota
will foot up $4,000, 900 at low calcu-
lation.
A dispatch from Highmore, Dakota,
OF April ith says: A destructive prairie
fire started on the evening OF the LIST,
five miles from here on tho farm Of
James Ingram, while he was smoking
his pipe, and his barn caught fire and
was destroyed, Fierce winds carried
the fire to the prairie and the work OF
destruction began. Tho house, barn
and stock were burned. Tuesday
morning, April 2nd, the wind reached
a terrific gale, and no ordinary fire
breaker made any resistance To the
sweeping flames. Ats p. m. the flames
had reached the Rec heights, fifteen
miles east OF Highmore, where thirteen
residences In the town were destroyed.
At shutdown, another fro started In
the northern part OF Hyde county,
sweeping away six homes and burning
to death Miss Annie Sweeney and u
five-year-old baby. Eugene ribbs, Mr..
and Mrs. Tibbs and Mr.. and Mrs
Ruby were dangerously burned, the
two former fatally. The losses will
reach many thousands OF dollars.
Nobody but the man who has stood be-
fore prairie fire and tried to stay It's
awful rush and roar when IL is famed
by fresh wind, can appreciate its al
most resistless force. The fires that
have brought so much loss and suffer
ing to Southeastern Dakota in the last
few days were practically Irresistible.
The flames in some instances leaped
100 feet of ploughed groud, and rush
ed away again on their career Of de-
struction All ordinary precautions
were in vain. The spring had been
very dry and the top OF the ground was
dusty and baked. and an extremely
high wind prevailed during the fires.
Under these conditions, wherever the
fire touched the grass il burst out with
a flash almost like powder and shot
across the prairie like an arrow, its
course ever widening. To extinguish
IL by water, OF course, was out OF the
question. Flowing fire breaks was
slow work and the high winds often
drove the flames across them. II was
; o'clock in the afternoon when the
people of Mt. Vernon saw the wide
spreading prairie northwest OF them
break out into u blaze. The smoke
was dashed into and through the town
on the wings OF the wind and flames
rushed after with savage fury. Mitch
ell was te!egraphed to for help and 100
firemen with hook and ladder were
sent at once. The entire population OF
Mt. Vernon and men from Mitchell
met the furious flames on the outskirts
of the town aud fought with desperate
ness, but in vain. No lives were lost,
but As buildings burned and 100 fami-
lies left homeless. Loss $500, 900.
Outside of the town it is impossible yet
TO say what the loss is. Lovely little
farm houses scattered over the prairie
are wiped out by the dozens. Stories
OF losses OF life may come in later