The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-04-05
PRAIRIES A GREAT SEA OF FLAME,
Whole Towns Swept Away BY Huge
sIlIows OF Fire.
Isolated Farmhouses DESTROYED Bv
the Dozen In All Directions.
Dakota Counts tho Cost Of the Visit
OF the Fire FIend.

| MITCHELL, OAK, April 4.--The fires which
brought so much loss and suffering 10 south.
eastern Dakota In the last few days wars
practically Irresistible. The flames In some
instances leaped 100 feet OF plowed ground
All ordinary precautions were vain. Ths
spring had been very dry and the top Of the
ground was dusty or baked. The wind was
from the northeast and blew between 40 and
80 miles an hour Under these conditions
wherever the fire touched the grass It burst
out with fash almost like powder and shot
across the prairie like an arrow. the course
ever widening. 10 extlnguish 1t by water
was out OF the question. blowing fire breaks
was slow work, and the high wind often
drove the flames across them. At three lu
the afternoon the people at Mt. Vernon saw
the wldespreading prairie to the Northwest
E Ita out Into into a blaze. The smoke dashed
lnt9 and through the town, and the flames
rushed after. Mitchell was telegraphed 10
for help, and 100 nremen with a hook and
ladder truck were sent at once. The entire
Mitchell met the flames on the borders OF
the town and fought with desperation but 10
vain. No lives were lost, but AS buildinxs
were burned and 100 families left homeless
sine loss as put At $4,000. Outside Of the
| town it Is impossible yet 20 say what a Ina
loss. Lonely little farm houses scattered
| over the prairie were wiped out by dozens.
Losses OF life may come In later. AS near a.
can be estimated this morning, the losses IN
South Dakota will reach S2.OO0,OOO.
YANKToN. Dakota, April 4-Storles Of thu
late fire report that In Violin village only
three buildings are standing. Olivet, in
Hutchinson county. Is burned, and Pukvan-
na Is wiped out In the vicinity Of James
vile. u miles north OF Yankton, eight farm
ers sustained losses OF $1,000 TO 5000 each.
Around GAINESVILLE the loss will foot up S10,-
600. One man lost $1,000 In money which he
had In his coat on piece OF plowed ground
800 feet from the grass. Two new wagons
burned 100 feet from the Ere. Sixty miles Of
Western Union wires were blown down be-
tween CeBtreville and Huron.
BLUNT, OAK. April 4.-Houses and barns
here were burned by the late fire. The fire.
was carried over 100 yards across new
broken ground. The losses are estimated at
100000 In this vicinity.
HIGHMoRE, Oak, April A destructive
and calamitous prairie fire started on the
evening OF the first, five miles from High
more on the farm Of James ingram. Ingram
was smoking a pipe and his barn caught
nre and was destroyed. A fierce wind carried
the nre to the prairie, and the work OF de-
strdctlon began. Tuesday morning the
wind reached terrific gale At p. m. the
nre reached Rec heights, 10 miles east Of
Hlghmore where 10 residences were de-
stroyed. At shutdown Tuesday another FIRE
started In the northern part Of this
county, sweeping away six homes and
burning to death Miss Annie Sweeney and 4
i've year old baby, and dangerously burning
Eugene Tibbs, Mr.. and Miss Tibbs, and
Mrs. and Miss Ruby. The loss will reach
many thousand dollars.
SCOTLAND, OAK, April At would take
$4,000 to cover the loss In this county. The
Hutchinson Heral Office was burned, and the
losses amount to S35,OOO with less than $1,000
insurance. David lschettar and Howard
White, farmers, near Oliyet, were complete
ly burned out. Another fire east OF Scot
land destroyed everything on the farms OF
A. o. Fansky, Gus Evenson and M. Shook
On the stock farm of K. 5. Sweet three barns
were burned, loss $1,000 Twelve miles west
Of Scotland prairie fire ragged, and Is farm
ers are known to have lost everything.