The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-04-12
Dakotv. Disssters.

Yankton telegram, April 4.-Tho list Of
losses BY Tuesdays prairie fires in this vicin.
ity increases, and the visitation assumes the
form Of widespread calamity. Yankton
county alone has suffered to the probable
extent of $3.50, 900, md as many as seventy.
five families ase homeless, most of them los.
ing everything except their lives and the
lives of their families. Farmers hereabouts
are generally possessed of valuable improve
ments, and individual losses range from
81 900 to 30, 600 in buildings and machinery.
The GAINESVILLE heighburhood has suffered
most severely. 1t is pcopled by Russians,
who had covered their farms with timber
finc buildings and fences These are now n
blackoncd waste, and the losses are general.
ly without insurance. 1t was no ordinary
prairie fire In its fearful force it
licked up everything combustihlc, and grass
and stubblo and wood broke into fame
seemingly without coming in contract with
fire. The combustion was alm ost epontane
ous in the dry and heated condition Of the
atmosphere set in motion by the terrific gale
that prevailed. The conditions seemed
similar to those existing Mt the timc OF the
grent Chicago fire md the fires in tae Wis.
consin woods, when the atmosphere WIS al
most ready to ignite and burn. An illustra.
tion is given in the c,sse of n Yankton county
farmrr who placed his valuable papers and
money in n woOd-hox and deposited the box
in the middle Of II plowed field with ita con-
fonts. The box was rc,lucci to ashes, though
there was no way for the fire to cross the
plOwed surroundings.
l,,,.; A al
day on record in DAKOTA except perhaps,
tho famous blizzard ofJnnunry, 1858. The
wind blew from the northwest furious gale
all day. The air was 40 full of dust that a
person could mot scc n hundred yards dis
tant Several buildings in this town were
stripped Of their tin roofs while numerous
small buildings and fences were blown down.
To-day news comes in from Faux county.
west OF Athol, that furious prairie fire
ragged all tho afternoon and evening. and the
light from the fires could be plinly seen
from this place. The whole heavens
seemed nilame Numerous farmers lost all
they hah.
trous wind sro, m ever known visited thisscc-
tion Tuesday aud was II perfect hurricane.
It blew of nrnrly the whole south side of the
Bank Of WOonsncket. brick vcncered
l,uiding: outhousrs were tipped over, side
walks torn up aud cOrnicc taken off Of sew
ernl business houses. Thcmost destruction.
however, was from prairie fires The large
'attle sheds. tnrns, etc, of W. NJ. Posry,
tour miles northwest Of here, with six hcal
OF oxen and IL large number of cattle. were
.ntirely destroyed: also barns and ont horse
of r. Enstmen and residences with all out
buildings james Eastman. Ncnrly u
dozen settlers are known o have ieen burned
out, with more to hear from. During the
afternoon the smoke and cinders wero so
dense in town one could hardly sce acrosa
the street and great fear was entertained
lenst the fire might got in town.
ARMOUR. April 4.-Dnuglns county was
visited ly one of tho worst prairie fires ever
known. Many farmers lost everything, and
are homeless and destitute
4. i Cornwall of Aberdeen writes the Pho.
neer Press
4 terrible fate llas br:nllcn tho vilnge Of
I-eola, MrPl"rsOn county, South Dakota.
prairie fire came down from tho Cnteuu
mountains like n cyclone, and the entire vii.
lnge is in ashes. The court house. two stores
one bank an, school house nre all tl,ut nre
Lotto of twenty business places. Forty To
f;ty families are entirely destitute. Both
printing offices, one bunk, nix stores. in
cuding drug stores, hardware etc.. are all
swept away. Nothing was saved. Tho men
ionxht to save the town, and neglected their
household goods. No lives were lost in the
villngr, hut one or two from farm houses are
reported, came by ono farmer who had
seven horses and twice ns many cattle, to-
gctllrr with house aad hnrm, all lost The
family have nothing left hut the clothing
they wore. How many farm houses are
gone cannot now im nsccrtained. Will not
friends send clothing, bc'lding and anything
to Westrort for Lcola? A committee will
receive them.