The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-04-17
PRAIRIE FIRES.
Eastern Dakota Swept by Dis
astrOus Flames.
Villages, Farm Houses and Live
Stock Destroyed.

7 A dispatch from Scotland, Dakota says:
Another terrible prairie fire swept over the
coantry south of Scotland during the after
noon, and its path was marked by the smould'
ering embers Of many homes. A very high
wind prevailed all day, and with the grass
as dry as finders the terrific force OF
the fire is beyond description. At threa
O'Clock word was brought to town that the
prairie was afire north Of West Town, and
Immediately hundred men started III
teams to ward oil the approaching
flames armed with brooms and SACKS.
Arriving at Alfred Browns farm, two
miles north all his barns, diaries and cattle
sheds We're one blazing mass, and
the efforts Of the crowd were directed to
saving his residence and beating the fire out
that would in short time have swept down
upon the town. Browns residence was
saved, but all his household goods that had
been carried out by the family were burned.
One mile north Of Browns the fire burned
Henry Hagelfry out OF every possession. His
house, barns and stock were consumed, and
he barely escaped with his family. Across
iinson, a prosperous farmer, and
everything about his place except
his house was swept away. Five houses
and several head of live stock were among his
losses. His wife was at home alone when the
fire began, and could do nothing to save the
property. BY evening the fire in the west had
been extinguished, but it is still raging in the
southeast. The town Of Olivet, the county
seat of Hutchinson County, eight miles
north, is reported to be more than half
burned up. Ths bridges on the railroad
west of the town were burned The loss
for the two days were fully $5O,OO0.
Almost the entire population of Beaver
s,.t1y will
Sioux Falls, were aroused by the flames and
turned out to fight them, but not before they
had consumed considerable property. The
telegraph wires running into Minnesota
from Sioux Falls have been burned out and
communication practically cut OF.
At Rapid City, Dakota, the flames We're
driven before sxty-five mile gale, destroy
lug three houses in their course. IN one Oh
these was Mrs. E. G. Bailey, Etoise Madison,
and a male servant named Aston. This
party abandoned the burning house and ran
through the prairie fire. Mrs. Bailey and
the man escaped with slight burns, but Miss
Madison's clothing was ignited and burned
from her body, inhicting fatal injuries.
Several buildings in the neighborhood of
Blunt were destroyed, j. l. Richardson los
ing 500 sheep and many other farmers their
homes At Desmet $4,000 damage was done.
The fires extended over an area Of nearly
fifty miles and were confined almost entirely
within the Territory. The damage will
amount to nearly quarter of million OF
dollars
Leola, the county seat Of Mcpherson
County, thirty five miles north of Aberdeen,
was destroyed by the prairie fire during the
whirlwind. The fire came from the West,
and was not noticed until it struck the town
on account of the terrible storm. Sixty
dwellings and business houses were
burned, entailing a loss of Sl50,OOO.
The only buildings remaining are the
court house. two stores and six dwellings. G.
W. Old and Thomas Wardell were terribly
and fatally burned. Leola is an interior
town with no railroads or telegraph and fur
ther particulars cannot be obtained. Per.
sons who drove across the country to West
port, the nearest railaoad station, say that
the surrounding country is nearly de-
vastatei. Hundreds OF farmhouseS are in
ashes and the bones Of burned animals are
!ying about the road.