, 1889-04-04
DAKOTA DISASTER
The Terrible Prairie Fires Still
Consuming Homes.
And the Misery and Death Has
Not Half Been Told.
An Attempt to Wreck . Traiu-A fight,
Ing Governor sheriT and Train
Robbers Fixht.-Crime

ABERDEEN, OAK, April 3-Leola, the
county seat OF McPhe,son county, thirty.
five miles northwest of Aberdee cen. was de-
stroyed 10y the prairie ire during yester-
days whirlwind. Sixty dwellings and
business houses are burned, entailinu a
loss of $l500OO, The buildings remain
ing are the courthouse, two stores and SIX
dwellings,. G. w. Old and rhomas War.
dell we're terribly burned, and couriers
from the demolished village say thev can
not live until morning Ieoa il IA coun-
try town with no railroads or telegraph,
and further PARTICULARS cannot be obtain
ed. Persons who drove across the country
to Wrstpolnt, the nearest rairoad station,
say the surrounding country Is nearly de-
yastated. Hundreds OF farm houses are
In ashes, and the carcasses OF burned ami.
mails are lying all along the road.
VtHMuLoN, OAK, April 3 Word
reached here to day of II very destructive
prairie hre north and west OF here. Gil.
lettes sawmil and 800 cords of wood were
entirely destroyed and also several other
buildings. number of narrow esca pes
are reported
Blunt, OAK, April 3--The whole
country around Blunt is being devastated
by prairie fires. Several buildings in the
suburbs have been burned, but the city as
yet is safe, j. I. Richardson lost 500
sheep, cattle and hogs. Many farmers are
homeless. A strong wind arose before the
fire, doing considerable damage.
SCOTLAND, OAK, April 3.-Another
dreadful prairie lire swept over tue coun-
try south Of Scotland yesterday ana its
path Is marked by the smoldering embers
of many homes, A high wind prevailed
and the grass being as dry as tinder the
terrific force of the fire is beyond descrip.
ton. Besides isolated faruIhouses, barns
and contents, 10 is reported chat the town
OF Oivet, the county seat of Hutchinson
county, is more than half destroyed.
BENTON. Da., April 3.--lhe most de-
vastatiDg prairie fire ever known ragged
over che prairies west aud north of Lake
Benton yesterday and last night The
wind WAS u hurricane for nearly twenty
fOui hours and swept the fire along with
resistless force, passing the widest fire
breaks as nothing and leaping plowed
fields with wild bound. IL 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, town west on the North
western road is almost destroyed.
town branch is reported destroy I'd.
Spaulding's ranch near there is
also reported consumed. Crossing into
Lincoln county, over a tract OF land COM
paratively little settled, and covered with
growth of grass 1t swept on with re-
newed velocity. II is reported tnat Henry
Coweth, Mr.. Berg, G. M. Moon and 9TH
ers near here lost nearly all their buildings
and contents.
MILLER, OAK, April S-The prairie
fire last night destroyed about forty houses,
many barns and a large Bumber of horses
and cattle and left ABOUT forty families
destitute. In the southern part OF this
county u terrible gale Of wind adds to the
terrors of the situation. The loss 10 esti. :
mated at $4,000.
HURON. OAK, April 3 No prairie fire
in the history of this part of Dakota
equals that OF yesterday. In this county
tue losses are much less than in counties /
west. Half dozen houses were burned
and many settlers lost their
barns, stock and large quantities
OF hay and grain. The wind blew from
fifty to sixty miles an hour and sent burn
ing enibers over plougbed ground and fire
breaks, setting fire TO everything in their
course. Inc fire came up so
rapidly that settlers had only time
to save themselves, leaving their
property TO the mercy of the flames. In
Sully and Hughes counties 300, 900 worth
OF property has been destroyed. Near
Hishmore Miss Sweeney was burned to
death. and near st. Lawrence MIR. Bab-
cock perlshed in the flames.