Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-03-27
LEAPING FLAMES.
Kansas Counties Treated to q
Bath Of Fire.
MANY SECTIONS BURNED OVER.
Rocks, Sedgwick, Kingman and Lincoln
Suffer Greatly-Vague Reports Of Loss
of Life-No Doubt of Much

Rocks, Sedgwick, Kingman and Lincoln
Suffer GreatIy-vague Reports of Loss
of LHe-No Doubt of Much
Damage.
STOCKTON, Kan, March 25.-Rooks
County has received terrible baptism
Of fire. A man whose name is unknown
started to burn some corn stalks, ana
from this started prairie fire which has
never been equalled in this section OF
the country for extent and amount OF
damage done.
For thirty-six hours the fire ragged
without cessation, and swept from the
southeast corner of the county to the ex-
treme northwest corner, burning every
vestige of grass, hay and standing corn
stalks from the face of the earth.
A perfect gale of wind was blowing,
sending clouds of sand and dust before
it, which increased the seriousness OF
the calamity. Every thing in the path
of the flames was swept away with the
exception of few farm houses, which
were saved only by the united efforts OF
all the farmers of the neighborhoods,
who would assemble to fight the fire at
stated points and then proceed to the
next point of danger. The whole air
was a mass Of clouds of smoke and sand,
and the work of fighting the fire was
most uncomfortable.
The first fire started Sunday morning
from sparks from defective stove pipe,
which caught the dry grass, which at
once blazed up like finder and spread SO
rapidly that it was impossible to stop 1T
until 1t had done an immense amount OF
damage. Hay, corn, outbuildings and
some stock was destroyed, while
the flames leaped the Solomon
river as if no obstacle inter
vened and were only stopped at
last by the combined efforts of the
whole people turning out and fighting
them at the embankment of the Mis-
souri, Pacific railroad, north of this city.
More than 1,50O tons of hay and
MANY thousand bushels of corn and
large amount of other property has
been destroyed and the total loss is
placed at S12, The farmer who
started the fire with his corn stalks will
be arrested and prosecuted.
IN sEDGwICK AND KINGMAN.
WICHITA, Kan, March 25.-Two sons
ofW. C. Webster were burning some
sunfiowers on their fathers farm in the
western part of this county yesterday
morning when fire caught in the grass
and spread over about fifty sections, de-
stroying ten farm houses and buildings.
The loss is estimated variously from
500, 900 to $500, 900.
Advices are to the effect that the fire
1,,,f h Oh rriTd
much fear that it will break out again.
1t was reported at midnight that the
fire in the southeastern part of Kingman
County had broken out in many places
from the confagration of yesterday,
which it was thought had, after Wig
orous fight been conquered.
The point where it is reported to be
doing the most damage is fifteen miles
southwest of the Webster farm, where
the fire started from some farm hands
VINO were removing corn Stalks from
field.
1t is said that eighteen farm houses
have been burned during the day and
night and the loss in grain and personal
effects will amount to many thousands Of
dollars. The farmers are out by the
hundreds fighting to save homes and
property.
The report has gained circulation that
incendiaries assisted the flames to get
started again and some who are strongly
of that opinion are greatly enraged, and
should any one be found on whom sus-
picion might rest there is no doubt he
would be handled promptly.
IN LINCOLN COUNTY.
LINCOLN, Kan, March 25.-A prairie
fire started southwest of this city Sun
day morning and burned over an i'm
mense area of the county, destroying
several farm houses and burning a large
amount of farm machinery, livestock
and corn in cribs.
Coming northwest, it was supposed
that its fury would be stayed by the Sa-
line river, but it jumped across the ten
rods of water as if it were dry ground
and came on toward this city, which
was only saved by the most strenuous
efforts of the citizens who turned out
en- masse to fight the flames.
Another fire was started west of this
city and rapidly spread before the wind
to the westward and destroyed large
amount of livestock and other farm
property. The grass is very dry and
burns like finder.
Fires are also reported from several
points to the southeast of this city and
reports come from Rocks County that
several people were burned to death by
an immense fire which has enveloped
the entire county.
The situation has become so serious
that it has been deemed best to estab-
lish mounted patrol among the farm
ers for the purpose of watching the
country and giving timely warning to
the people.
-
WASHINGTON, March 24.-GeneralR Rob.
ert Cummings Schenck, ex-COngressman,
soldier and diplomat and leader in pub
lie Affairs . cranara ton more died