New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-05
MLLEs AND MILEs on FIRE.
VILLAGES AS WELL AS FARMS DEvAs-
TATED.

A NUMBER or LIVES LOST IN DAKorA-UNToLD
DAMAGE DONE By ONE ToBAocoPIPE-
AN rNoENDIARY FINED TWENTY.
FIVE DOLLARS.
ST. Paul, April 4.-The fires that have brought
so much loss and suffering to Southwestern Dakota
in the last few days practically irresistible
Flames in some instances leaped 100 feet OF
ploughed ground. All ordinary precautions were
vain. The spring has been dry and the top Of
the ground has been dusty or baked. The Sig
nal observer at Yankton, Oak, says that the
humidity was only per cent on Tuesday, con-
dition Of dryness never before recorded there
As the reen annual humidity is 20, this shows
that the atmosphere was practically devoid Of
moisture. The wind from the northeast blew
between forty and fifty miles an hour, tanning
the flames into fury. Under these conditions,
wherever fire touched the grass 1t burst out
with fash almost like powder and shot across
the prairie like an arrow its course ever WIDEN
ing. To eXtinguish 1t by water, was
out Of the question. Ploughing frc-breaks
was slow work, and the high wind often drove
the flames across them.
As rule it Is not known how the fires wen
started but one Of the most destructive was light
ed by coal from the pipe Of James Ingram, q
farmer, five miles from Highmore, Oak While
he was smoking, his barn caught fire and was de-
strOyed. A fierce wind carried the fire to the
prairie, and the work of destruction began. Houses
barns and some stock were burned. On Tuesday
morning the wind rose to gale. No ordinary
e-break made any resistance TO the sweeping wall
Of fame. At p. m. the fire reached Rec Heights
fifteen miles from Highmore, where thirteen dwell
ings in the town were destroyed. The losses esti-
mated, in Hyde County, are $4,000. At sundown
on Tuesday, another fire started in the northern
part of this county, sweeping away six homes,
burning TO death Miss Annie Swe eny and child
age five Eugene Tibbs, Mr.. and Mrs Tibbs. Mrs.
and Miss Ruby are dangerously burned, the two
former fatally.
It was 3 o'clock in the afternoon when the
people Of Mt Vernon saw the wide
spreading prairie northwest Of them break out
into blaze. dispatch was sent
for help, and 90 fremen, with hook and ladder,
were sent at once. The entire population of Mount
Vernon and the men from Mitchell met the furious
flames on the outskirts of the town and fought
with desperation but in vain. No lives were lost.
but fOrty-fye buildings were burned and 100
families left homeless The loss is put at $780, 900.
Outside Of the town, it is impossible yet to say
what the loss is. Lonely little farmhouses scat
tered over the prairie were swept away by dozens.
Leola, the county scat of Mcpherson County,
Is reported to have been destroyed. It was fine
little town Of 800 inhabitants, and the country
for miles around was well settled with an indus
trious and thrifty people. The place Is twenty
FIVE miles from railroad and telegraph facilities,
and il is difficult to get complete information
Out Of thirty places OF business including two
banks two newspapers two churches, three or four
hotels and all lines of business, hut four are left
aka ana o,,k of fron % FoRfH dyUaI
lngs less than dozen remain. The loss is prae-
tically complete, and will reach $4,000. The
insurance was very light. @. w. Old and Thcmas
Wardell were terribly burned, and cannot hvc
Men who drove across the country to Westport,
the nearest railroad station, say thas the sur
rounding country is nearly devastated. Hundreds
of faEmhouses are in ashes and carcasses of burned
stock lie beside the road Editors Herried and
Beach, of Leela, went to Aberdeen. They will
publish their paper there for the present Moth
ing definite is known about rebuilding. Scores of
farmers are without seed wheat, stock, build
ings or implements to carry on spring work.
Violin Village has only three buildings standing;
olivct, Hutchinson County, was burned; Puk-
wanna was wiped out. In the neighborhood OF
GAINESVILLE, twelve miles north of Yankton, eighb
farmers sustained losses running from 81, 900 TO
SO, 600 eaoh. The total loss will be about
SIC, 900. One man lost 81, 900 in money which
800 feet from the grass. Sixty miles of Western
Union wires were blown down between Center
vile and Huron. Houses and barns were burned
near Blunt where the fire was car
red over 100 yards across new bro
ken ground The losses are estimated
at 100000 in that neighborhood The
total losses in Dakota are estimated at not less
than 100000
The prairies west and north of Lake Benton,
Minn., were swept by fire yesterday and last
night. The wind was q hurricane for nearly
hours and the flames leaped ploughed
Gelds with bound, licking up, houses, barns,
stock, and In some places human lives. Dempster
q station on the Watertown branch, is reported
destroyed. A dispatch from Jackson, Minn, to !
" The Pioneer Press" says:
The prairie fires prove more general than was
at first believed. Additional losses are reported |
from all directions, and messengers bring news |
Of stubborn fights TO save endangered property !
Fires were raging in every direction, and each |
seemed TO pursue q distinct course OF its own |
The firo which would have swept this village |
from the face of the earth has been traced to its
origin. The search eliminated this afternoon in |
the arrest of James Travniok. BE pleaded guilty |
and was sentenced to pay s25 and costs, or in
default thereof sixty days in jail Much dis |
satisfaction is expressed at this sentence. Public
opinion is that justice has been too highly tenn |
nerel with mercy"