Morning journal and courier., 1889-04-04
METHODIST CONFERENCE.

The opening Exercises in Bridgepor, | New Y0rk the BanneR Bramtch-
 Real Estate Owned 70 she Amount O1 1 -$257,11O.
 BRIDGEPORT, April 3.-The New York
 East conference opened at 8. m., with the
 Lords supper, Bishop Rudolph S. Foster presiding.
 1 The opening prayer was made by the Rev. W. T. Corbett of Brooklyn. B. R. Adams, 1 N. G. Cheney. Presiding Elder Beach and | the Rev. W. H. Wardell assisted at the | sacrament. Assistant Secretary D. o. Ferris l called the roll. A. T. Sanford and c. H. Beach were elected secretaries pro tenn. George P. Means of New York was elected secretary in place of Bishop Goodsell. 0. B. Ford and Nathan Hubbell were appointed committee to look after publication for the ministers. Dr. c. O. Lewis spoke on 'Church and College" A letter was received from Dr. Buckley of Cairo, Egypt, contain ing large donation. J. L. Buckley, Arza Hill and c. H. Buck were reelected trustees of the conference.
 The Rev. MT. Egg1eston of Waterbury was put on the committee of "Oandidates for full connection and ordination of local preachers; Dr. W. W. Bowdich, chairman of the Episcopal fund.
 The afternoon session was resumed at 5 o'clock with large attendance. The sub- ject of the session was the anniversary of the Women's Foreign Missionary society. Rev. I. H. Burch presided. Rev. Mason North delivered the address, in which he paid & high tribute to the women connected with the society, and the good work they had ac- complished. The ladies of the society are supporting 500 teachers and 200 schools in foreign lands.
 H. Asbury Lowrey, of New York, shows that 281 churches supplied by 251 pastors. Of these churches 151 report contributions aggregating $7,644. The banner conference is the New York branch. Of the 150 con- tributing churches, there are auxiliary organ izations in 120 with 8 total membership of 3.017. There are also Il young ladies' socie- ties and IS mission bands. In all there is membership of 4S, 1863, with 4,795 proba- tioners. "We have," says the secretary's report, "buils hospitals, medical dispensaries, school buildings, houses for missionaries, orphsnages, boarding halls, home for friend less women and sanitarian training schools, so that our real estate is now valued at $277,- no, divided among the following fields: India $92, ,660; China $55, $50; Japan ESQ., 100; Mexico $54, ,000; South America $1O,- GOO; Bulgaria $4 ,500.
 There are in foreign lands ninety-five mis- sionaries, twelve of whom are medical men; 30S bible-women and one hundred assistant missionaries. We support 219 day and vil- Iage schools, 352 scholarships and 479 or- phans. We have sent out one hundred and fifty young women during our twenty years' work and require this year $23, ,431."
 Mrs. Rev. F. D. Gamewell of China gave an interesting account of her work in that country.
 At the evening session the subject under discussion was the Brooklyn Methodist Episcopal hospital. The speakers were ~ D. r TN and Rev. G1enwood P. Butler, all of whom gave interesting statistics of the workings of the institution, the good performed, etc and made strong appeals for additional funds, to enable them to increase their facil- ities.
 FIERCE PRAIRIE FIRES. Great Damage Done in Dakota-rvve
 Villages Entirely Consumed by the
 Fire-LOss of $3O0,OOe i'm one ViI-
 lage.
 MITCHELL, Dak., April 3.-The village of Mt. Pleasant was almost entirely consumed by fire yesterday. All the business part of the town is burned and nearly ali the resi- dences. The Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul depot, together with about fifteen or twenty freight cars. and four large elevators are gone. The loss will be nearly $500, ,000, with but very little insurance, and hundred families are left homeless and utterly desti- tute. It was caused by prairie fire which came in from the northwest. One hundred citizens from Mitchell went up to help fight the fire, but raging wind prevailed and their efforts availed but little. A special train carrying provisions WAS despatched from here last night.
 SIOUX FALLS, Dak., April 3.-Yesterday a terrific gale prevailed throughout 8 wide area in this section. Rumors come that the entire population of Beaver Greek, Minn., thirty miles east are fighting the fires: also that ex- tensive fires prevail in various parts of south western Minnesota. The wires are badly de- moraliZed and the rumors cannot be verified, but the prairies are exceedingly dry and the winds very strong, and grave fears are felt of 6 widespread calamity.
 At Rapid City three houses were burned One was occupied by three persons. Miss Eloise Madison, aged IT, was badly burned and will probably die.
 The town of Olivet, the county seat of Hutchinson county, is reported more than half burned up.
 Violin, station on the Northwestern road, was burned; loss $10,000.
 Many farmers homes at Scotland were burned to the ground.
 The residence of A. E. Swan, about one mile out of Andover, was burned, together
  inmates were at dinner, when a prairie fire was discovered near the house, and all rush ed for the door barely in time to save their lives. Mrs. A. E. Haynes, who was visiting there, did not have time to get her wrap, and her two little ones and herself were compel led to face the fierce gale about a mile with but little covering.
 The storm also extended to Jackson Min- nesota. A dispatch from that place says: The severest storm that has prevailed in Jackson county for years was experienced yesterday. prairie fire was raging near the village and only the most strenuous ef forts of the citizens prevented the destruc | ton of the village News from the prairie | at this time give a report of great loss of property.
 MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., April 3.-The Jour nal's Blunt, Dak., special says: The whole l country around Blunt is being devastated by prairie fires. Several buildings in the sub | urbs have been burned, but the city is as yet safe. J. 0. Richardson lost 800 sheep, cattle | avd hogs. Many farmers are homeless. A strong wind arose before the fire, doing con- l siderable damage.
 ST. PAUL, April 2.-The Pioneer-Press special from Aberdeen, Dak., says: Leola, county seat of McPherson county, thirty-fve miles northwest of Aberdeen, was destroyed 1 by prairie fire during yesterdays whirl- ! wind. Sixty dwellings and business houses | were burned, entailing a loss of $150,000. The only buildings remaining are the court | ouse, two stores and six dwellings c. w. Old and Thomas Wardell were terri ply burned and couriers from the demolished village say they cannot live until morning. The town has neither railroad nor telegraphic communication. Persons who drove across the country to Westport, the nearest railway station say that the surrounding country is nearly devastated. Hundred of farmers houses are in ashes and the bones of burned I animals are lying about the roads.
 Accidents on the New England. |
 WATERBURY, April 3.-A freight train on the New England road at 5:30 last night near Junction ran into work train. ! Patrick Kelcoin had both legs broken, two