Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-04-11
DAKOTA STILL BURNING
Reports of Raging Prairie Fires Con-
tinue TO Come in.
Hundreds of Families Absolutely De
priVed of Everything.

MITCHELL, Dakota, April 4-Nobody
but men who have stood before a prairie
fire and tried TO stay its awful rush and
roar, when famed by fresh wind can
appreciate It's almost resistiess force.
The fires that have caused so much loss
and suffering to southeastern Dakota IN
the last few days were practically irresti-
bic. Flames in some instances leaped
100 feet of plowed ground and rushed
away again on their career of destruction
and all ordinary precautions were vain.
The spring has been verz dry and
the top of he ground has been dusty or
baked, and an extremely high wind has
prevailed during the fires. Under these
conditions, wherever the fire touched the
grass it WoHld bQrst out with a fash al
most like powder and shoot away across
the prairie like an arrow, ITS course
widening. To ext;nguish it by water of
course was out of the question. Flowing
fire breaks vas slow work, and high winds
afterwards drove the flames across them.
Ii was 3 O'Clock IN tue afternoon when
the people of Mt. Vernon saw the wide
spreading prairie northwest of them
break ont into a blaze. Smoke
was dashed into and through
the town on wings of wind. Flames rushed
after with savage fury. Mitchell was tel
egraphed to for help and 100 fremen
with hook and ladder we're sent at once.
The entire population of Mt. Vernon and
men from Mitchell met furious flames on
the outskirts of town and fought With
desperation, but in vain. No lives were
lost, bot forty-fve buildings were burned
and 100 families were left homeless.
Loss, $4,000. Outside of town it is i'm
ct IN rUh1E tHp loss "a
Lonely little farm houses scattered over
the prairie are wiped out by dozens.
Stories of losses of life may come in
later.
YANKroN, Oak, April 4.-Stories of ter
rible losses by the hurricane of fire that
swept over the country north of here,
continue to come IN. The village of
Violin has only three buildings standing
Gllvet, Hutchinson county, was burned.
PukWana was wiped ont. The losses in
Yankton county, are: Nj. M. Joanson, R.
Anderson, f. OFT, Mrs. Stockwell, r.
Pringle, j. f. O'son, David Perley, James
Hoxing, John Hundersho5, Lardy Jencks,
NJ. Holbrook, E. S. Violin, A. I'll. Violin, j.
Beckmeir, III. Rake, @. Stencil, w. Randall,
S. M. Howe. In the vicinity of James
vile, twelve miles north of Yankton,
eight farmers sustained losses running
from 6. 900 TO $4,000 each. Around
GAINESVILLE the loss will foot up $4,000.
One man lost ST 900 in money which ne
had IN his coat on piece of plowed
ground 300 feet from the grass. Two new
wagons were burned 100 feet from the
fire. Sixty miles of telegraph wire was
blown down between CenterviIle and
Huron.
BLUNT, Dak.-April 4.-Stories of the
fury Of the fra continue to be brought
into town by stragglers. They say the
wind would gather mp the loose timber,
and hurting it high III the air, carry it
ahead Of the surface fire, alightIng on
barns and houses, ar igniting the prairie
fifty Yards in advance of the surface fire.
Houses and barns were burned where the
fire was carried ovar 100 yards across the
new broken grown. The loss is esti-
mated at 100000 in this vicinity.
HlGHMoRE, Dakota, April A destruc |
tive prairie fire was started on the eve
ming of the 1st, five miles from High |
more, on the farm of James Ingram.
While lie was smoking his pipe his barn |
caught fire and was DESTROYED. The |
fierce gale carried the fire to the prairie |
and the work of destruction commenced. |
Houses. barns and stock we're burned.
Tuesday morning the wind reached a
terrific gale. No ordinary FIRE breaker
made any resistance TO the sweeping
flames. At 3 p. m, they reached Rec |
Heighths Is miles east of here, where |
residences III town destroyed, At sun
down Tuesday another fire started in the
northern part of III &c county, sweeping |
away six homes, burning ca death Miss
Annie Sweeney ard 3 year old baby. |
Eugene Tibbs, Mr.. and Mrs. Tibbs and
Mr.. and Mrs. Ruby are dangerously
burned. The two former fatally. Losses |
will reach many thousand dollars.
SCOTLAND, Dak., April At would take
100000 to cover the loss in this county. |
The Hutchinson Herald office burned, and |
the loss is $50, 900, with less than Sc 600. |
Two farmers east of Olive6 were com
pletely burned out, and another fire east
Of Scotland destroyed everything on the |
farms of A, o. Fansky, Gus Everson and
nj. Shook. On the stock farm Of S. Sweet
three barns we're burned; loss, $4,000.
Twelve miles west of Scotland, the prairie
fire ragged, and twenty-five farmers are
known to have lost everything.
ABERDEEN, OAK, April 1.-The terrible
story of the complete destruction of
Leoia, the county seat of MCPHERSON
county, noted in last night dispatches,
has been brought IN by couriers. Leola
was town OF 300 inhabitants and the
country for miles around was veil set
tied with industrious and thrifty people.
They saw the surrounding country near
" devastated Hundreds of farm houses
are in ashes and the caroases of burned
stock ale lying along the road ways. It
is probable that one tenth of the damage
not yet reported. The injured men,
Old and Wardeil, ct last accounts were
very low. Nothing definite is known
about rebuilding The citizens here will
hold q meeting this afternoon TO take
measures for the relief of the sufferers.
Scores of farmers are without seed, wheat,
stock, buildings, or implements to oom-
menoe their spring work.
CHAMBERLAIN, Oak, April 4-Prairie
fires have been raging feaFfully in this
county for the past two days. So far
two lives are reported lost and fully 100
families have been deprived of absolutely
everything.
HARTFORD, OAK, April A raging
prairie fire swept down on the town this
afternoon, and would, no doubt, have
swept it out of existence. but for the
forethought and energy of the town
people, where ever it was unprotected
Heavy losses are reported from every
direction.
WISCONSIN LEGlSLaTURE.
WEDNESDAY, April 3.
III IL