Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-06
AWFUL PRAIRIE FIRES.


HOW THEY HAVE DETASTAEED
GREAT SECTIONS OF COUNTRY.
Central Dskota and Southern Minnesota
Swept by Fierce Winds :.and Fiercer
Flames Several Small villages and
Hundreds of Farmers' Houses. wiped
ont Of Existence-Damages In South
Dakota Alone Estimated at Over Two
Millions Of Dollars. -.
MlNNEAPoLIs, April 4.-During the past
two days South Dakota and Minnesota
have been swept by series of wind-storms,
which caused millions of dollars damage
to property, and several lives have been
lost. The storm started Monday night
and swept over large area south Of the
Northern Pacific in Dakota, and extending
into the southern tiers Of counties of this
state. sl3 ~ Al 8~ a1l
The greatest damage has been caused by
wind alone, but in many places fires,
famed into fury by the storms, wiped
out OF existence several emall villages, and
hundreds OF farmers houses, rendering
hundreds Of iamilses homeless.
The towns almost completely destroyed
are Iolin, Olivet, Pukwana, Lesterville and
East Mount Vernon. Three or four other
villages were badly damaged. Many head
Of cattle, sheep and hogs also perished. In
loose sand and dust, and win have to be
replanted. Travel was suspended on some
lines OF road, 80 great was the force of the
wind. .u.s..r
The storm has abated somewhat, but
the wind is yet nigh enough to keep the
fires burning fiercely, and further heavy
losses are almost certain.
The damage in Minnesota is much less
than in Dakota, as the force OF the storm
was pretty well spent before reaching the
border. The losses in South Dakota alone
amount to So, ,OO0, 900 at low calculation.
AT ABERDEEN AND vERMLLIoN.
ABERDEEN, Dakota, April 4.-Leola, the
county seat of Mcpherson county, thirty
five miles southwest of Aberdeen, was de.
stroyed by prairie fire. During yester-
days whirlwind sixty dwellings and busi-
ness houses were burned, entailing loss OF
$150,0O The only buildings remaining
are court house, two stories. and six dwell
lipgs. G. w. Ced and Thomas Wardell were
terribly burned, and couriers from the de-
molished village say they cannot live until
I.eola is an interior town, with no rail
roads or telegraph, and further particulars
cannot be obtained. Persons who drove
across the country to Westport, the near
est railroad sta tion, s6y the surrounding
country is nearly devastated. Hundreds
OF farm houses are in ashes. and the car
casses OF burned animals are lying along
the road.
VERM1LLloN. Dakota, April 4.-Word
reached here of very destructive prairie
Gres north and west of here. Gillett's
sawmill and 800 cords of wool are entirely
destroyed, and also several other build
ings. A number OF narrow escapes are re-
ported.
THE WIND WAS A HURRICANE.
BENTON, Dakota. April 4.-The most
devasting prairie fire ever known ragged
over the prairies west and north OF Lake
Benton, yesterday and last night. The
wind was hurricane for nearly "a hours,
and swept the fire along with resistless
lorce, passing wind-breaks as il nothing
we're in the way, and leaping plowed fields
with wild bounds. licking up houses, barns,
stock, and in some places, human lives.
The greatest destruction OF property and
loss of life is in Dakota.
Rec Heights, q town on the eNorthwestern
road, is almost destroyed.
Dempster, a station on the Watertown
branch, is reported destroyed. Spaulding's
ranch, near there, is also reported con-
,umed.
Crossing into Lincoln county over q
tract of land comparatively little settled
and covered with q heavy growth of grass,
t swept on with renewed velocity. 1t is
'eported that Henry Jourth, Mr.. Berg G.
u. Moon and others near here lost nearly
Ill their buildings, with their contents.
AROUND MILLER.
MILLER, 8. D., April 4.-Prairie fires
lave destroyed about 40 houses, many
oarns, q large number of horses and cat
lie, and left about forty families destitute
n the southern part of this county. A
;errible gale OF wind adds to the terrors OF
;he situation. The loss is estimated at
b6O, 900.
DISASTERS IN MINNESOTA.
JACKSON, Minn.. April 4.-The prairie
Tres prove more general than at first be-
ieved. Additional losses are reported
rom all directions, and messengers bring
news of stubborn fight to save the en-.
langered property. Fires were raging in
very direction, and each seemed to have
pursued q distinct course of it's own. The
ire which would have swept this village
rom the face of the earth has been traced
10 its origin. The search eliminated in the
lrrest OF James Travenick. When ar
aligned he plead guilty and was sentenced
10 pay $25 and costs, or in default thereof
Iixty days in the jail. Much dissatisfac-
ion is expressed at SO light a sentence.
Public opinion is that justice has been too
highly tempered with mercy.
NOTHING EQUAL TO IT EVER KNOWN.
HURON, Oak. April 4.-No prairie fire in
5he history of this part of Dakota equals
that of Tuesday. In this country the
osses are much less than in the counties
vest. Half dozen houses are burned and
many settlers lost barns, stock and large
quantities OF hay and grain. The wind
blew fifty to sixty miles an hour. and sent
burning embers over the plowed ground
and the fire breaks on several roads, set
ting fire to every thing in their course.
The fire came up SO rapidly that settlers
aad only time to save themselvers, leaving
their property to the mercy OF the flames.
In Sully and Hughes counties $20o, 900
worth of property has has been destroyed.
Near Highmoor a Miss Sweeney was
burned to death, and near st. Lawrence a
Mr.. Babcock perished in the flames.
An Attempt of Fiends to Wreck Train.
MANSFIELD, O., April "A fiendish at
Tempt WAS made to wreck the Pennsyl-
vania limited vestibule passenger near
Canton, about midnight, last night. Pieces
Of iron were securely wedged into the
switch near Littletown. The east-bound
train passed safely over the OBJ
but the unusual motion caused
The train men to be alarmed, and they re-
ported the matter to the operator. He
investigated the cause and stopped the
limited before it reached the switch. Irons
had been placed in the switch with the east
ends raised 80 as to derail the west-bound
train, while allowing the east-bound to
pass over with only a little iarring. The
switch is only sixty feet from q bridge, and
the momentum of the train would have
thrown it into the creek, and the conse-