New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-07
operated suddenly, rs there was no notice In "a.
evening papers Of an intention to drop the concerts
SUFFERERS FROM TIE PRAIRIE FIRES.
UNABLE 10 ESCAPE EXCEPT THROUGH THE
PLAMEs-LrvEs SAVED WITH woo11EN

BLANKETS.
Chicago, April GA dispatch to The Daily News
rom ST. Paul, MIMI, says: The list of losses by
prairie fires in Dakota Increases The description
OF harbreadth escapes are thrilling In Yanktons
county alone the damage Is placed at s15ooOo Near
Rapid CITY Professor @. Z. Balley's ranch was
destroyed When party Of neghbors drove through
the binding smoke to the rear Of the house an appal
ing sight met their gaze. Standing in little hol-
low beneath the ruins Of the house was FoIse Madi
son, onstered and scorhed and burned, with hardly
snred OF clothing upon her. Standing Nnaided and
conscious OF her terrible condition, she greeted the
hrst person to her assistance with the ejaculation:
- My GOD. can't you 40 something for me1o
Strong men shuddered and for a minute turned
away, but for moment only when ready hands did
everything that could be done for her Mrs. g. F.
Bailey, In whose employ the young girl was, and
william Ashton, the hired man, had very narrow
escape, and, rs II was, suffered painful but not dan
gerous Injuries. Mrs. Bailey says when the fire
caught the dwelling house 1t blaHed up like finder
and allowed them alternative but TO run for their
lives This they did, Mr.. Ashton taking each of the
women by the arm and starting with them through
the smoke and flames They had gone but short
distance when Miss Madison fen, The smoke was so
thick that when they stopped to look for her she
could not be seen, and thinking that she had In
another direction they resumed their efforts to escape
After struggle they succeeded IN getting to
the windward side Of the fire and made their way
10 neignOOftnB r2non
At George Hunts place the family had Just seated
themselves at the dinner table, when Mrs. Hunt saw
sparks flying in the kitchen. SEEKING "a blanket
apiece, the people In the house threw them over their
heads and started from the building. BY good fortune
all succeeded in reaching place of safety. For
twenty feet their path was through sheet Of hame
fifty feet high. Many of The other farms in Rapid
Valley barely escaped the wild flames, which sped
across the ground like fash Of
lightning Ths wind was blowing at the rate
of sixty miles an hour. Had the velocity of the wind
been less, more damage would have undoubtedly re-
suited. As it was. the fire confined to a narrow
strip Of country, enabling those from the city to beat
out the flames with wet sacks.
Thousands OF dollars worth of property de.
stroyed within ten miles Of Freeman Thirty-two
families lost their homes only escaping partly clothed
Machinery, grain, hay and a great amount OF stock
wore burned The unfortunate farmers are entirely
destitute and without food or shelter
In Douglas County THE fire was one of the worst
homeless and destitute. The house OF William Cline
burned Mrs. Cline persisted In the flames. She
seventy years old, and WAS the mother Of F. W.
Cline, prosecuting attorney Of Douglas County. Near
oahwo0d Lake lives Frank Goodielow. He was away
from home when the fire came. Mrs. 6oodfelow and
three children herolcaly fought the flames several
hours and then were feced to get down on their
knees while the flames passed over them. MIS- Good
fellow IS so badly burned that she will probably die.
In Drule County casualties being reported daily.
Fully 100 families have lost everything, the loss reach
ing Sl5Oo00. Two women were burned TO death
Chamberlain 1t Is reported at the latter place
that the fire was started by Indians on reservation
Crow Creek Agency had narrUw escape.