Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1889-03-29
FURIOUS FLAMES
A Very Destructive Prairie Fire
Originates Near Williumsport and
Burns Over a Large Extent of

A Very Destructive Prairie Fire
Originates Near Williumsport and
Burns over Large Extent of
Country.
Since our last issue the Williamsport
country and adjacent neighborhoods have
been visited by prairie fire that did
great deal Of damage to farmers besides
burning at least three fourths of the pas
turage in the north half Of the county.
~ Last Friday morning Henry Shide,
about three miles west of Wiliamsport,
was burning some uncut oats, when the
flames jumped the furrows he had plowed
around the field, and the fire ran rapidly
toward the east and northeast. Tom
Kelly and some neighbors saved his build
ings by hard work, although the fire ran
into his barnyard. Every settler, IN fact,
had all he could do to prevent it leapin,,
his ireguards, and the men, women and
children all worked hard.
The first building destroyed was on the
Formoe claim. The next was the house
on George Dougherty's homestead, north
Of town, containing considerable: furnl-
ture and other property. These two were
the only buildings destroyed on Friday,
so far as known.
Saturday fire which had been slowly
burning south of the Bismarck road be-
tween Tom Kelly's and Ed Herrick's $,
| crossed that road and bounded away
| n CI nrf1 thn
| a short distance east Of the COnnor ranch,
Stock ranges alone suffered on Saturday
in this neighborhood.
| All day Sunday the wind continued to
| blow from the west or southwest and the
side and back fires from the fire of Friday
crept slowly toward the west and north,
| west.
Monday morning the wind changed
and blew gale from the north. The
flames turned and started south with race
horse speed. sweeping down into Blu.
chanan Valley. The damage done on
Monday. besides that in the Danbury
neighborhood, and reported below by
correspondents. was as follows, so far rs
the RECORD has been able to learn:
John Goughnonr. stabl le, 200 bushels
oats, and other property. The ahle was
Il good one. A few years ago Mr.. Cough
nour lost by fire stable which occupied
the same site.
Mr.. Epler lost the fence around large
corral, and it is also rumored that he los
his hay
Peter Farrell lost his stable, lot OF
lumber with which he intended to build ,
new house. $50 in money, several schoo
| orders for wages earned by his daughter
as teacher. and other property. The or
ders are not loss, however, as duplicates
can be issued by the school board. The
flames were so fierce here that, although
the walls and roof were saved, the foo
was destroyed.
William Baker lost all his hay ano
straw.
Michael Rush lost his stable, all his hay
and large number of posts with which
he intended to fence pasture this spring
| Mr.. Rush was away at the time, and hi
4 saws that, if Tom Kelly hadn't happened
to be there, lie would have also lost hi
house. At one time Mrs. Rushss dres!
caught fire.
The house on the Chesley claim, be
longing to Mrs. Coconower (hee Chesl ley)
was destroyed.
1t is customary to cry 'tcarelessness' t.
those who lose property by prairie fire
but nearly every one of those who wcr,
burned out on Monday had guards whicl
would have stopped any fire such as thos,
which have Heretofore visited this section
But the strong wind and the unusually
tall grass caused the flames to leap ovel
the widest firebreaks.