Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-04-11
DAKOTA'S DESOLATION.
UNcoNTRoLLABLE FURY
OF WIND AND FLAME.
MAD CAREER OF THE SWEEPING
PRAIRIE FIRES.
Estimated Loss of South Dakota Two
Millions.

Estimated Loss OF south Dakota Two
Millions.
MITCHELL, Oak, April A. Nobody
but man who has stood before a prai-
rie fire and tried to stay its awful rush
and roar when it Is famed by a fresh
wind can appreciate its almost resist
less force. The fires that have brought
so much loss and suffering to southern
Dakota in the last few days were prac-
tically irresistible. Flames in some in
stances leaped 100 feet of plowed ground
and rushed away again on their career
of destruction. All ordinary precau-
tiOns were vain.
The spring has heen very dry and the
top of the ground has been dusty or
roken. The signal observer at Iank-
ton says that the humidity of the air
was but per cent. Tuesday, a condition
of dryness never before attained. AS
the mean annual humidity is 20 this
shows that the atmosphere was practi-
cally devoid of moisture. Then the
wind from the northeast blew betw cen
40 and 50 miles an hour, tanning the
flames into fury.
Under these conditions wherever fire
touched the grass it burst out with a
FLASH ALMOST LIKE POWDER
and shot away across the prairie like an
arrow, its course ever widening. To
eXtinguish it by water, of course, was
out fthe question. Flowing fire-breaks
was slow work and the high wind often
drove the flames across them.
1t was o'clock in the afternoon when
the people of Mt. Vernon saw the wide
spreading prairie fire north of them
break out into blaze. The smoke was
dashed into and through the town on
the wings of the wind. The flames
rushed after with savage fury. Mitchell
was telegraphed to for help and 100 fire.
men with hook and ladder were sent at
once.
The entire population of Mt. Vernon
and the men from Mitchell met the
furious flames on the outskirts of town
and fought them with desperation, but
in vain. No lives were lost, but forty
five buildings were burned and 100
families left homeless. The loss is put
at $30,000.
Outside of the town it is impossible
yet to say what the loss is. Lonely
little farm houses scattered over the
prairie are wiped out by dozens. Stories
of loss Of life may come IN latter,
AS near as can be estimated this
morning the loses in south Dakota will
reach S2,000,O00.
WORK OF DESTRUCTION IN HYDE
COUNTY.
HIGHMoRE, Dak., April A de-
structive and calamitous prairie fire
started on the evening of the 1st, five
miles from Highmore, on the farm of
James Ingram. While he was smok-
ing his pipe his barn caught fire and
was destroyed. A fierce wind carried
the fire to the prairie and the work of
destruction began. Houses, barns and
some live stock were burned. Tuesday
morning the wind reached -.
A TERRIFIC GALE.
No ordinary fire-break made any re-
sistance to the sweeping wall of flame.
At 3 p. M, the fire reached Rec
Heights, fifteen miles east of High
more, where thirteen residences in the
town were destroyed. The losses, esti-
mated, in Hyde county are So 600.
At Shutdown Tuesday another fire
started in the northern part of this
county, sweeping away six homes,
burning to death Miss Annie Sweeney
and 5-year-old baby.
Eugene Tibbs, Mr.. and Mrs. Tibbs,
Mrs. and Miss Ruby are dangerously
burned, the two former fatally.
Returns oflosses are not in but will
reach many thousand dollars.
LOSSES IN THE VICINITY OF SCOTLAND.
SCOTLAND, Dak., April At would
take $500, 900 to cover the loss in this
county. The Hutchison Herald of
flee was burned The losses amount to
$35, 900, with less than $6, 900 insurance.
David Ischettar and Howard White,
farmers near Olivet, were completely
burned out.
Another fire, east of Scotland, de-
stroyed everything on the farms of A.
o. Fansky, Gus Everson and M. Shook.
On the stock farm of e. 8. Sweet three
barns were burned; loss, $1,000.
Twelve miles west of Scotland prai-
rie fire ragged. Twenty-Five farmers are
known to have lost everything.
HURRICANES OF FIRE.
YANKToN, Dak., April4 stories
of the terrible losses by the hurricanes
of fire that swept over the country north
of here continue to come in. Columns
might be written of the horrors of the
last few days and the heroic struggle to
save home and property that the farm
ers have worked so hard to secure.
Violin village has only three build
ings standing; Olivet, Hutchinson coun-
ty, was burned; Pukwanna was wiped
out.
The LOSERS in Yankton county are
M. M. Joanson, r. Anderson. F. OFT,
Mrs. Stockwell, r.. Pringle, J. +. Olson.
David Perley, James Hoxing, John
Hundershot, Leroy Jencks. Fl. HOl-
brook, E. s. Violin, A. Fl. Violin, Jos.
Beckmeir, Henry Rake, Chas. Stencil,
VIM. Randall, s. NJ. Howe.
In the vicinity of GAINESVILLE, twelve
miles north of Yankton, eight farmers
sustained losses running from 81 900 to
So, 900 each. Among these were N.
johnson. Chas. Houk. Wallace broth
ers and E. C. Cook. Around James
vile the loss will foot up $4,000.
One man lost 81 900 in money which
he had in his coat, on q piece of plowed
ground 800 feet from the fire.
Sixty miles of Western Union wires
were blown down between Center
vile and Huron.
FIRE CARRIED. BY THE WIND.
BLUNT, Dak., April 4.-'The stories of
the fury of the fire continue to be
brought into town by stragglers. They