The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-04-11
States Swept by Fire.

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the place except three was demolished
and 100 people are without homes. Les.
terville is
FLATTENED TO THE GROUND
and twenty families are without a roof
A terrible gale Of wind struck Mount
Vernon and q fire started from small
house that was blown over early last
night. No human power could stop the
flames, end 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 100000. 1t is
reported that several persons lost their
lives in this fire, but no confirmation has
been received. Four large elevators and
the Milwaukee depot we're destroyed.
Near Blunt one man lost five hundred
head of sheep which we're caught in
prairie fire. Several head of horses we're
saved by swimming river. In many
places the crops were covered by loose
sand and dust and will have to be re.
planted.
TRAVEL STOPPED BY CLOUDS OF DUST.
Travel vas suspended on some lines Of
road. So great was the force OF the wind
that clouds OF dust prevented the engineers
from seeing the track. A report from
Gary says the sun was almost totally OBJ.
scured and the superstitious thought the
end of the world had come. Farm houses
and barns we're swept away and horses
and cattle were
BURNED TO DEATH BY SCORES.
Near Milbank so head of live stock are.
reported lost, and the fire has swept over
twenty miles of country, causing immense
losses. The storm has abated somewhat
but the wind is yet high enough to keep
the fires burning fercely and further
heavy losses are almost .cer.aiD. The
damage in Minnesota is much less than
in Dakotu, as the force of the storm was
pretty well spent before it reached the
boundary. A dispatch from Yanktop,
Dak., 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 dry.
ness, Sergeant Oswald says, never before
attained in this region. The maximum
humidity is 100; mean annual here 70.
This shows that the atmosphere was al.
most devoid of moisture. The velocity of
the wind was forty.six miles an hour.
The Losses in South Dakota will foot up
S2,0O0,000 at low calculation"
ST. PAUL, MINN., April IA Pioneer
Press Lake Benton, Mimi, special says:
"The most devastating prairie fire ever
known ragged over the prairies west and
north of Lake Benton Tuesday. The
wind was hurricane for nearly twenty
four hours and swept the fire along With
resistless force, passing the widest fire
breaks as nothing and leaping plowed
fields with bound. Itlicked up houses,
barns, stock and in some places human
lives. The greatest destruction of prop
erty and loss of life il in Dakota. Rec
Heights, q town west on the Northwestern
road, is almost destroyed. Dempster
Station, on the Watertown branch, 10 re.
ported destroyed. Spauldings Rancho,
near there, is also reported consumed.
Crossing into Lincoln County over
track of land comparatively little settled
and covered with a heavy growth ofgrass
it swept on with renewed severity. It is
reported that Henry Kowith, Nh. Berg,
G.. NJ. Moon and others have lost nearly
all their buildings with contents"
A Jackson, Minnesota, special says:
"The prairie fires prove more general
than at first believed. Additional losses
are reported from all directions and mes.
aengers bring news OF stubborn fights to
save endangered property. Fires were
raging in every direction and each seem.
ed 10 pursue distinct course of its own.
a fire which would have swept this vii
lage from the face Of the earth has been.
traced to its origin. The search culmins.
ted in the arrest of James Travnick.
When arraigned he pleaded guilty and
was sentenced to pay SIS and costs or in
default thereof 60 days in Jail. Much
dissatisfaction if felt at this sentence.
Public opinion is that justice has been
too highly tempered with mercy.
A Mi"r, Dak., correspondent tele.
graphs te prairie fire Tuesday night
destroyed aDout forty houses, many barns,
q large number of horses and cattle and
LETT about forty families destitute in the
Southern part of this county. The terri.
Ul6 Rdle VI Wluu auueQ W Lu0 tciIOI6 VA
the situation. The loss is estimated at
$4,000. The County Commissioners are
in session and will see that no one suffers
for the necessities of life"
From Huron, Dak., comes the follow.
ing: "No prairie fire in the history of
this part of Dakota equals that of Tues
day. In this county the losses are much
less than in the counties west. Half
dozen houses were burned and many set.
tiers lost their barns, some stock and
large quantity of hay and grain. The
wind was from fifty to sixty miles an
hour, and sent burning embers over the
plowed ground and fire breaks several rod
wide, setting fire to everything in their
course.
The FIRE come up 80 suddenly that set
tiers had only time to save themselves,
leaving heir property to the mercy of
the flames. In Suliy and Hughes coun.
ties 100000 worth of property has been
destroyed. Near Highmore Miss Sweedy
was burned to death, and near st. Law.
renee Mr.. Babcock periahed in the
flames.