Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1889-04-04
DEVASTATING FLAMES.

Auc CcuSIdl pOTtlOH OF turner county
was visited Tuesday afternoon by a
most destructive prairie fire. About
noon the wind commenced blowing.
and by four o'clock had increased to q
gale of at least fifty miles an hour,
accompanied by strong electric cur
rent. The air was filed with dust and
smoke, and when at five o'clock it was
discovered that a prairie fire was bear
ing down upon Hurley from the north
west the excitement was intense. Scores
OF men, armed with whatever weapon
suitable for fighting such an enemy
they could lay their hands on, started
to meet the leaping flames, and were
quickly followed by teams hauling
barrels of water and plows.
After several hours of hard work
setting back fires and fighting head
lires-the great calamity which threat
the town was averted, and we doubt if
crowd of dirter, binder, nearer played
out men ever came out of any fray.
Many households got ready for mov-
ing at q moments warning. Carpets
were taken up, clothing packed in
trunks and other preparations made;
and but for the heroic werk done by
those at the front, Hurley would now
be but a pile of ashes. The fire was
fought from the railroad crossing to
point two miles west of town, and had
1t crossed the road, and got hold on
the vacant portion of the town site or
on the Geo. Fromer timber claim the
town must have suffered greatly.
Many families on the farms have lost
nearly all that they had accumulated
by many Years of hard work. some hav-
ing left only the clothing which covers
their backs-houses, barns, grain, fur
niture, groves, wiped out in few brief
moments.
AS near as we have been able to learn
the losses are:
Thos. Espie, barn, grain and groves.
z. Williams, everything.
|. H. Myers. everything.
Mr.. Miner, barn, grain, ETC., house
saved.
| Mrs. Smith, everything except house.
John Lease, portion of grove.
Mrs. Elliott Benson, house and stable,
one colt and one COW.
Jas. Williamson, stable.
Mr.. Horton, living on Williamson
place, three horses and three badly
scorched, and threshing machine.
Jas. ID. Perkins, house and contents,
stables, grain and hay; about $3.50 in
surance.
G. f. Thompson, stable, ten hogs and
some farming machinery.
G. c. Skinner, stable and one horse,
j. p. Cotton, stable.
f. j. jerks came in from the south
western portion of the county last
evening, and reports very disastrous
fire there Tuesday, the following being
among the losses:
Mr.. Hopp, everything.
Soren Christensen, stables.
MIR. Gunderson everything.
Anton Mellhouse, everything.
H. G. Jensen, everything.
N. G. Larsen, everything.
j. G. Sorensen, everything but gra.
merry.
Louretz Norstrop. house.
S. z. Matson, stable and household
furniture.
: Two houses belonging to Mr.. Reese
!. Reports from Daneville township
state that the Baptist church and par
sonage and number of dwelling
; houses were burned in that neighbor
hood.
At Marion three buildings vert
burned.
The wagon bridge east of Centeryillt
was burned. also number or barn.
: and groves near there.
Volin, in Yankton county, Is al
burned but three buildings.
Olivet, county seat of Hutchinson
county. has only fey buildings left
!, Leola, county seat of McPherso1
county, a town of some 800 OOlnhabitants
literally wiped out.
l Mount Vernon, Dawson county
l was nearly all destroyed, loss 100000
! at Mayfeld, Yankton county, ME
Gordon lost everything but his house
!. In Yankton a fire DESTROYED mum
e Der of houses and other buildings nortl
! of the Milwaukee depot.
: This has been the worst calamity q
regards the destruction of property tina
g has ever visited Dakota, and nearl
: every locality has its local sufferers t
look after and care for, which wor
;. will be done with the open heartednes
: and energy which is characteristic Q
true Dakotaians.