Evening journal., 1889-04-04
HAVOC BY THE FLAMES.
Great Losses in Dakota by
Prairie Fires.
A TOWN NEARLY DESTROYED.

Narrow Escape of Many People from Be-
ing burned to Death-Houses. Cattle
and Crops Destroyed-A sand blizzard
at Gary.
SCOTLAND, Oak, April 4. ~ A terrible
prairie fire swept over the country south Of
Scotland Tuesday afternoon, and its path Is
marked by the smouldering embers Of many
homes A very high wind prevailed all day,
and with the grass as dry as tinder the fury
OF the fire was beyond description. At :
o'clock word was brought 70 town that the
prairie was aflre north Of West Town, and
Immediately hundred men started IN teams
towards the approaching fire, armed With
brooms and sacks
Alfred Browns farm. two miles north, al
hts barns, dairies and cattle sheds were
found TO be ablaze, and the efforts Of the
fafmers were directed to saving his Residence
and beating the fire cut In a short time it
would have swept down upon the town.
Browns residence was saved but all his
household goods were burned. One mile
north Of Browns the fire burned Henry Ha.
gelfry out Of every possession His house,
barns and stock were consumed, and he bare
ly escaped with his family. Across from
Hagelfry lived d. X Tomlinson, a
prosperous farmer, and everything about
his place with the exception Of his
house was swept away. Five houses and sew.
eral head Of live stock We're among his losses.
His wife was alone at home when the fire
a
property. BY evening the fire in the wesi
had been extinguished, but IT is still raging
in the southeast The town Of Oivet, the
county seat of Hutchinson county, eight
miles north, is reported to be more than hall
destroyed The bridges on the railroad west
of the towrfwere burned. The loss for the
last two days will be fully $4,000
SIOUX FALL, Oak, April A. 1t is reported
that the entire population Of Beaver Greek
Mimi, thirty miles east, is fighting prairie
fires, also that extensive fires prevail il
various parts Of southwestern Minnesota
Wires are down and rumors cannot be veri
fed but the prairies are exceedingly dry anC
| grave fears are felt Of widespread calamity
RAPID Cry, Oak, April A prairie fir
started one mile northeast at noon Tuesday
and was driven before a sxty-fve mile gale
| Three houses were burned. One Of them wa
/ occupied by Mrs G. f. Bailey, girl age,
| II years named Eloise Madison. and hire,
1 man named Aston. The three left the hous
and ran through the flames. Mrs Bale,
and Aston escaped with some severe burns
Miss Madison fell and the fire catching he
clothing burned it completely from her body
She was taken to a neghbor's and hes at tli
point Of death The house and househol
goods are a total loss.
GARY, Oak, April T. "A sand blizzard b
gan about / o'clock Tuesday afternoon. II
wind blew with great force and the air w
filed with sand and dust 70 such an extent
10 render il quite dark. The mercury fell
degs. In two hours. Crops already sown wen
thought 70 be much injured. At Aberdeen
hurricane ragged for hours. Roofs were blow
off the Park Place hotel, the mill and the Z;
celsior block, and many other buildings we
otherwise damaged. To the storm in severi
places were added the terrors Of FIRE. Volt
a station on the Northwestern roJ
ten miles east Of here, was burn,
Monday night. The buildings destroy,
were the station agents house, the depot, tu
dwelling houses and large Touring mill
thousand tons of hay and all the barns we
burned. The fire invaded a large cattle co
raj and forty or fity cattle were bad
burned, the rest breaking through the Il
closure aud escaping. The loss is more tina
$4,000
De sMEr, Oak, April A prairie fl
yesterday destroyed property valued
$4,000
BLUNT, Oak, April 4-The whole countI
around Blunt is b ing devastated by prair
fires Several buildings in the suburbs has
been burned, but the city is as yet safe j.
Richardson lost 500 sheep, cattle and hog
Many farmers are homeless. a strong win
arose before the fire, doing considerable dan
age