The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1891-10-30
SWEPT BY FIRE.
Disastrous Forest Fires Near
Evansville, Ind.
Started by a Farmer to Clear
Away UnderbruSh.

Completely Destroying Everything in
Barely Escape with Their Lives-One
CasuaIty-LOss Heavy.
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 2S.-A special
from Evansville Tuesday night said:
One of the most destructive forest
fires ever occurred in this neighborhoOd
is now raging in the Blue Grass region,
thirteen miles from this city, on the
Evansville and indianapolis railr ad.
John Eisenhauer, of this city. returned
from the scene this evening. gives a
gives a graphic description of the de-
structiOn.
How 1t Started.
Daniel FERGUSON owns piece of wood
land, which he has been clearing, and
on Sunday evening last gave orders to
the workmen to clear the underbrush
with fire. There has been no rain in tie
neighborhood for nearly three months,
and in consequence nearly everything is
dry as finder, and the woods being filled
with dry leaves and bark from the trees,
it did not take long for the fire to get
good Roadway after it had been started.
Sunday and Monday were both dry,
hot days, and the fire spread SO rapidly
that it alarmed the people on FergusOn's
farm and they began fighting II ali hour
after it had been lighted. By midnight
the entire woods and pasture, covering
about five acres, were ablaze, sending
up great tongues of fire, and filling the
air with smoke. The wind was so strong
that it bore blazing branches of trees
into an adjoining field of corn, and
Ia f1.ay toward + r.
guson's dwelling. Farmers in the
neighborhood who had watched the
progress of the fire mounted horses and
rode to the Gene. Soon fifty men We're
battling win the flames. but the high
wind seemed to laugh at their effects,
for they were unable to cope with the
fire.
Several Residences Burned.
By 2 o'clock Monday morning Fergu-
sons house and belongings were reduced
to ashes. By daylight Monday morning
all the farmers were ont fighting the
flames, but each was on his own proper
ty, for now the fire had become gener. |.
The flames seemed to leap from one wood
pasture to another, leaving the fields to
burn at leisure Distracted farmers dug
bitches. cut paths. started fires to burn
back to the original, everything, IN fact
that any body ever suggested to
fight prairie fires, but ali to no purpose.
The high wind carried burning embers
in every direction, and farm houses.
barns, everything that could furnish
fuel for the flames were burned to tin
der. Willis Taylor's farmhouse and
buildings followed the destruction Of
the Ferguson place. His place covers
two hundred acres, and was swept clean.
Lucien Bug rs farm adjOined that of
Taylor's on the east, and was next at
tackled.
There is a good-sized creek running
through the farm, but the flames leaped
across the stream and swept away fine
woods pasture, working their way up
through a cornfield to the house, barn
and outbuildings, carrying everything
before them. The wind now veered and
carried the advancing flames to corn
field and farm buildings owned by
John Landlord. Here the same COM
plete destruction was wrought. A
farmer named Raiuey lives on an ad-
Joining fl rm. This property was swept
away, as his neighbors named Ward,
who adjoins him.
BY Monday evening the fire described
a complete circle. and the farmers and
their families huddled together in the
center of scething mass of flames.
! There was no avenue of escape, and all
they could do was to keep as near the
earth AS possible to prevent being stifie1
! by the smoke.
Eut One Casualty.
Strange as it may seem, there was but
one casualty. Jim Kelly, a farm hand,
| had his face, arms and body badly
| burned while battling with the flame.
! His injuries may prove fatal.
The fire is still raging, burning in
an easterly direction, and threatening
the village of Mackey, on the Evans
vile and Indianapolis railroad. The
losses will amount to between $4,000
| and $50 600 thus far.