Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-04
SEVERE WIND STORMS.
Fires also Famed I'm Fury - Great
Damage to Property.


MISSEAPoIIs, MTSS., April 4.-During the
last two days South Dakota and Minnesota
have been swept by series OF windstorms.
which have caused hundreds of thousands of
dollars damage TO property, and several lives
have been lost. The storm started Monday
night and swept over a large area south of the
Northern Pacific railroad in Dakota and eN-
tending into the southern tiers of counties in
this state. The greatest damage has not been
caused by wind alone, but in many places fires
famed into fury by the storms have wiped out
OF existence several small villages and hun
dreds of farmers houses. The towns almost
completely destroyed are Violin, Ohyet, Puka-
waua, Lesterville and Mount Vernon. and three
or four other villages were badly damaged. At
Violin every house in the place except three is
demolished and one hundred people are with
out homes. Lesterville was fattened to the
ground. and twenty families are without a roof.
A terrible gale of wind struck Mount Vernon.
and fire started from a small house that was
blown over early last night. No human power
could stop the flames, and in an hour the best
portion Of the place was
ONE GREAT RAGING FIRE.
Nearly 200 families are homeless and the loss
will foot up 100000. 1t is reported that
several persons lost their lives in this fire. but
no confirmation has yet been received. Four
large elevators and the Milwaukee depot were
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 replanted. 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. 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 to death by scores. Near Milbank
fifty head of live stock are reported lost. and
the fire has swept over 20 miles of the country.
causing immense loss. The storm has abated
somewhat, but the wind is vet high enough to
keep the fires burning fiercely, and further
heavy losses are almost certain. The damage
in Minnesota is much less than in Dakota, as
the force of the storm was pretty well spent
before it reached the boundary.
LOSSES IN DAKOTA 100000
A dispatch from Yankton, OAK, SAYS: 'The
records of the signal Office show that during
the prevalence of the fires in this region the
humidity was but per cent, a condition Of
dryness, Sergeant Oswald says, never before
attained in this region. The maximum humid
ity is 100; the mean annual humidity here, 20.
This shows that the atmosphere almost
devoid of moisture. The velocity of the wind
was 46 miles an hour. The losses in South
Dakota will foot up S2,OOO,0O0 at low calcu-
lation."
A Hurricane of Fire.
ST. PAUL, MINI, April A Pioneer Press,
Lake Benton, NJ mn, special saws: The most
devastating prairie fire ever known ragged over
the prairies west and north OF Lake Benton
Tuesday. The wind was a hurricane for nearly
twenty-four hours and sweptthe fire along with
resistless force; passing the widest fire breaks
as nothing and leaping plowed fields with
bound, it licked up houses, barns, stocks and
in some places human lives. The greatest de-
struction of property and loss of life is in Da-
kota. Rec Heights. town west on the North
western road. is almost destroyed. Dempster.
a station on the Watertown branch. is reported
destroyed Spaulding' ranch near there is also
reported consumed. Crossing into Lincoln
county over tract of land comparatively little
settled and covered with a heavy growth of
grass, it swept on with renewed velocity. II is
reported that Henry kourth, Mr.. Berg. G. NJ.
Moon and others near here lost nearly all their
buildings with contents.
FINED FOR STARTING THE FIRE
A Jackson, MIMI, special says: The prairie
fires prove more general than at first believed.
Additional losses are reported from all
directions and messengers bring news of stub
born fights to save endangered property. Fires
were raging in every direction. and each
seemed TO pursue a distinct course of its own
The 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 Travnick. When arraigned he plead
guilty and was sentenced to pay Sz5 and costs,
or i'll default thereof sixty days in Jail. Much
dissatisfaction is expressed about this sentence
Public opinion is that justice has been too
highly tempered with mercy.
FORTY HOUSES BURNED IN ONE COUNTY.
The Miller Dakota correspondent of the
Pioneer Press telegraphs: Prairie fires Tues
day night destroyed about forty houses, many
barns, large number of horses and cattle,
and left about forty families destitute in the
south part of this county. A terrible gale of
wind added to the terrors OF the situation.
commissioners are in session and will see that
THE WORST EVER KNOWN.
From Huron, OAK, comes the following: No
prairie fire in the history of this part of Dakota
equals that of Tuesday. In this county losses
are much less than in the counties west Half
a dozen houses were burned and many settlers
lost their barn, some stock, and a large
quantity of hay and grain. The wind was from
so to 60 miles an hour. and sent burning embers
over the plowed ground and fire breaks several
rods wide, setting fire to everything in their
course. The fire came up so rapidly that set
tiers had only time TO save themselves, leaving
their property to the mercy of the flames. In
Sully and Hughes counties 900, 900 worth of
property has been destroyed. Near Highmore,
Miss Sweepy was burned to death, and near st.
Lawrence, Mr.. Babcock perished in the flames.
Fourteen Buildings Burned.