The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-10-14

FIGHTING PRAIRIE FIRES.
A Novel Method to Extinguish the De-
structive Flames.

A Novel Method to Extinguish the De.
structive Flames.
The person who has not seen prairie
fire has missed one of the greatest
sights. To the beholder, who knows
that no loss of life or property will re-
suit from it, such scene presents
spectacle of grandeur sometimes too aw-
full to be beautiful.
1t was the chief of once important
tribe of Indians who remarked, upon
completing a sightseeing tour through
the principal cities of the east
"Good-heap good! Not so good as
prairie fire p
As may be well imagined, the prairie
settlers could well dispense with prairie
fires, however beautiful in appearance
they may be, but there seems to be no
way of preventing their recurrence in
country like Dakota and other north
western States noted for the dryness of
the atmosphere.
The prairie grass of that region does
not stay green until killed by the frosts
of autumn, but ripens as do the small
grains. 1t is plumply filed with an
oily substance, very nutritious for graz
ing purposes, and highly infammable.
The exceedingly meagre rainfall and the
entire absence of dews in the greater
portion of these States serve to put the
grass in the best possible condition for
making fierce, quick fire when aided
by the strong winds that almost con-
stantly blow over those prairies.
e
is more or less acquainted with prairie
fires. They have often, at nightfall,
seen their lurid lights in the distant
horizon, or by day their huge volumes
of smoke rising and blending with the
clouds, and many are even familiar with
the consuming march of the flames
themselves.
Probably the first intimation the set
tier receives of an approaching fire
comes from the falling of burned par
ticles of grass that have been carried
long distances by strong air currents.
Later on, smoke may be seen on the
distant horizon, which increases in vol
ume and blackness until the whole sky
is darkened; or, if night be coming on,
the flames will light up the whole land
scape, and their glow will be reflected
above.
The wise settler has his farm or
ranch protected by ire-breaks. These
are usually made by plowing two strips,
a few furrews wide and several rods
apart, and burning the grass between.
There is but little chance of putting
out a fire on the prairie during the day,
as the wind, which is almost invariably
blowing, and which the fire seems to
greatly increase in force, never lulls un-
til the coming of night Then, though
there is no dewfall in that region, the
fire burns less fercely, and may be at
times entirely extinguished.
The most successful method of put
ting out fire, and one frequently em-
ployed is to kill steer, and splitting
the carcass, drag it along the tire-ine
and over the flames, which are thus ex-
tinguished. This is done by attaching
long wire ropes to two limbs of the car
cass, to each of which is hitched horse
ridden by an experienced rider. One
of these horseNen rides on either side
of the fire line, and by skillful refining
they draw the body of the animal di-
rectly over the flames.
Sometimes a fresh hide, weighted
down with pieces of iron attached to it,
is used instead of the carcass of an ami
NAL. By this method a line of fire
twenty miles in length may be extin-
guished in one night. Men on foot us
ually follow the horsemen and put out
any fire tina tmay remain after they have
passed.
The scene presented by such a COM
pany of fire fighters is extremely wierd,
and one which beholder is not likely
to forget. Fortunate it is if those in
terested complete their work before day
dawn, for if they do not, the rising of
the wind may send the fire leaping over
the area of country they have lahored
to save, and blackened plains and the
smoldering heaps that mark the site of
former ranches and homesteads will tell
the oft-told story of the prairie fire,