The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-04-12
.rarxs SWEPT ny FIRE.

.,,.ws.ro1n April 4.--During the iss.
- s"s.- co,,l, Dakota and Minnesota hsse
! w sso ssrt bys series Of wind storms
~s;.h i've caused hundreds OF tnoussao
20 dollars damage TO property ana .a' MOn,
y ~ several lives. The storm s. sa,,,h
dsv niaht and swept ever iarg es1 nsIo,s
AZ The Northern Pacific ksilrosu - conn.
S,,snaino In the southern tiers OF coun.
~ - n-this State. The greatest damsse
~ ,,nt heen caused by the wind alone, uus
- manv places fires famed into. Jury ~
- .,aym. have wiped out OF exs.eSoo
several small villages and hapdbsSsdss bSs II p sic
place except three was demolished and 100
people are without homes. Lesterville is
flsttened to the ground, and twenty families
are without roof. A terrible gale Of
wind struck Mount Vernon and fire started
from small house that ives blown over
early last night Ne human power could
stop the flames, and in an hour the best
portion Of the place was one great raging
fire. Nearly Two hundred families are
homeless, and the loss will foot up $500, GOO.
Four large elevators and the Milwaukee de-
pot were destroyed. Near Blunt one man
lost five hundred head ofsheep which were
caught in prairie fire. Several head of
horses were saved by swimming a river. In
many places the crops were covered by loose
fanf and dust and will have to be replan ted.
Travel was suspended on some lines of
road. So great was the force of tho wind
that clouds of dust prevented the engineers
from seeing the track. A report from Gary
Gays 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 cat |
tie were burned 10 death by scores. -.',
Near Millbauk so head of live stock are
reported lost and the fire swept over twenty
miles OF country, causing immense losses.
Tho Storm has abated somewhat but the wind |
is yet high enough 10 keep the fires burning
dercely. dispatch from Yanton, Oak,
says: The records Of the signal office show
that during the prevalence of the fires in |
this region the humidity was but seven per |
cent, condition of dryness, Sergeant Os- |
valid says, never before attained in this re-
gion. The maximum humidity is 100; mean
annual here 20. This shows that the at
mospherc was almost devoid of moisture.
The velocity ofthe wind was forty-six miles
an hour. Tho losses in South Dakota will
foot up $4,000, 900 at q low calculation"
st. Paul, Mimi, April A Pioneer
Fress Lake Benton, Mimi, special says:
"Tho most devastating prairie fire ever
known ragged over the prairies west and
north Of Lake Benton Tuesday. The wind
was hurricane for nearly twcnty-fcur
hours and swept the fire along with resist
less force, passing the widest fire breaks as
nothing and leaping plowed fields with n
bound. 1t licked up houses, barns, stock
and in some places human lives. The |
greatest destruction of property and loss of
life is in Dakota. Rec Heights, n town west
on the Northwestern rond, is almost de-
stroyed. Dempster Station, on the Water
town. branch, is reported destroyed. Spaul-
dings Rancho, near there, is also reported
consumed. Crossing into Lincoln county,
over tract Of land comparatively little set
tied aud covered with q heavy growth of
grass it swept on with renewed severity.
AJackson, Minnesota, special says The
prairie fires prove more general than ut
hrs: believed. Additional losses are report
ed from oil directions and messengers bring
news of stubborn fights TO save endangered
property. Fires were raging in every direc-
tion, and each seemed to pursue n distinct
course ofits own. A fire which would have |
swept this village from the face of the earth
has been traced to its origin. The search
eliminated in the arrest of James Travpick.
When nrraigned he pleaded guilty and was
sentenced to pay $25 and costs or in default |
thereof 20 days in Jail. Much dissati.fac-
tion is felt Mt this sentence. Public opinion |
is that justice has been too highly tempered
with mercy
No prairie fire in the history Of this part |
OF Dakota equals that Of Tuesday. In this |
county the lcsses are much less than in the |
counties in the west.