Evening journal., 1889-04-05
THOSE PRAIRIE FIRES.
Great Damage Done in Dakota
and Minnesota.
THE loss ESTIMATED AT ss,OOo,OOO

Description OF the Awful scenes-vii-
lagos Laid in Ashes and People and
stock burned TO Death-Flames Famed
by Hurricane.
MINNEAPOLIS, April 5.-During the last
two days South Dakota and Minnesota have
been swept by a series of wind storms which
have caused hundreds Of thousands of dollars
damage to property, and several lives have
been lost. The storm started ON Monday
night, and swept over large area south Of
the Northern Pacific road in Dakota and ex-
tending into the southern tiers of counties m
this state. The greatest damage has not
been caused by the wind alone, but fires
famed into fury by the storms, have wiped
ousof existence several small villages and
hundreds Of farmers houses. The towns al
most completely destroyed are Nolin, Ohvet
Pukawana, Lestervile and Mount Vernon,
and three or four other villages were badly
damaged At Violin every house IN the
place except three Is demolished, and 100
people are without homes. Lesterville was
levelled with the ground and twenty families
are without roof.
A terrible gale Of wind struck Mount
Vernon, and fire started from small house
that was blown over early Wednesday night
No human power could stop the flames, and
in an hour the business portion Of the place
was all ablaze Nearly 200 families are home
less, and the loss viii foot up $4,000 II is
reported that several persons lost their lives
/ in this fire, but no confirmation has yet been
received -Four large elevators and the Nil
waukee depot We're destroyed.
Near Blunt one man lost 500 head Of sheep,
which were caught in a prairie fire. Several
head of horses were saved by swimming the
river. In many places the crops were covered
by the loose sand and dust, and will have to
be repanted. Travel was suspended on some
lines Of road, so great was the force of the
wind. The clouds Of dust prevented engineers
from seeing the track. A report from Gary
says the sun was almost totally obscured, and
the superstitious thought the end of the world
had come. Farm houses and barns were
swept away, and horses and cattle were
burned 10 death by scores.
YANKroN, Oak, April 5.-The records o.
the Signal Office show that during the prev
alence Of the fires in this region the humidity
was but per cent, a condition Of dryness
Sargt Oswald says, never before attained IL
this region. The maximum humidity is 100
the mean annual humidity here, 70, Thi
shows that the atmosphere was almost devoi
Of moisture The losses in SJuth Dakota wi
foot up S2,0oO,OO0.
o. LAKE BENTON, MINI, April 5.-The mos
r devastating prairie fire ever known rage
4 over the prairies west and north Of Lal
1 Benton. The wind was hurricane Il
nearly tweuty-four hours, and swept the FL
l. along with resistless force, passing the wide
l. fire breaks, and leaping plowed fields with
a bound 1t licked up houses, barns, stoc
n and in some places human lives The grea
est destruction Of property and loss Of life
in Dakota Rec Heights, town on u
Northwestern road, is almost destroyed.
, MILLER, Oak, April 5.-Prairie fir
N DESTROYED about forty houses mar
: barns. large number of horses and cattl
]. and left about forty families destitute in Il
n sonth part Of this county. A terrible gale
d wind added 10 the terrors of the situatio
/ The loss is estimated at 5000 The eoun
4 commissioners are In session and will see tn
s no one suffers for the necessaries Of life.
y HuRoN, Oak April 5-No prairie fire
is the history Of this part Of Dakota equals Chi
a of Wednesday. In this county the losses a
much less than in the counties west Half
o dozen houses were burned and many settle
+ lost their barns some stock, and a large qua
tity OF hay and grain.
% AfrTcHELI Oak, April g. 5-Nobody but
It man who had stood before a prairie fire al
Il tried to stay its awful rush and roar when
j. is famed by a fresh wind can appreciate
almost resistless force The fires that ha'
brought so much loss and suffering to sout
eastern Dakota in the last few days we
IN practically irresistible Flames in some j
y stances leaped 100 feet Of plowed ground Al
h rushed away again. All ordinary preca
sr tions were vain. The spring had been ve
y dry and the top Of the ground has been dus
m or baked Under these conditions wherev
ee fire touched the grass il burst out with
u flash almost like powder and shot away acrS
"a the prairie like an arrow, its course ey
n. widening. To exunguish IL by wat
= Of course was out Of the question Plo
: ing fire breaks was slow work, and {
an wind often drove the flames across them.
~ HIaHMoRR, Oak, April A prairie
n started on the evening of the first, five mi
from Highmore ON the farm OF James Ingra
While he was smoking his pipe his ba
caught fire and was destroyed. fieI
= wind carried the fire 10 the prairie and I
~ work Of destruction began. Houses, bari
- and some stock were burned On Tuesd
M morning the wind reached a terrible ga
NJ No ordinary fire break made any resistaI
he 10 the sweeping wall Of fame. At 3 p.
,ir the fire reached Rec Heights, fifteen mi
y east Of Hghmore, whore thirteen residen
-, in the town were destroyed. The losses
~ Hyde county are 5000
~ ~ Changes in Canada's Cabinet.
~ OTTAWA, April 5.-At the close Of
present session Of parliament Sir John M