Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-03-10
NOVEL FIRE FIGHTING
Lashing Out the Flames Of a na,.,.
Prairie with an Ox's HLle

Lashing Out the Flames Of a p...
Prairie with an Ox's HLle.
Whoever heard Of killing a horse n.
OK as the first step TO be taken toward nm.
ting out a prairie fire. What dwallars Is
the Dakotas has not heard of il, For
frequently done by the settlers of the noa'
northwest, where prairie fires are n ,,raatl.
dreaded menace to life and property 4
was the chief of once important tribe NJ
Indians who remarked, upon completing
sightseeing tour through the princinsI
cities of the east, Good. heap good. not =
good as a prairie iirel'
One who has never seen prairie iira b..
missed one Of the grandest sights Toll
| beholder who knows that no los, of lifoa
property will result from il such A sne.
tacle presents picture Of grandeur soms.
times too awful to be really beautiful
If there were policeman on every rail
road locomotive in the Dakotas, 10 act n,
spark arrester. the number Of pnirie fire,
would no doubt be almost as great as it 4,
now
The prairie grass Of that region doe, MT
remain green until killed by the frosts N
autumn, but ripens as do the small grain.
II is plumply filled with an oily snbstanca
very nutritious for grazing purposes and
highly infammable The exceedingly
meager rainfall and the entire absence Z,
dews in the greater portion OF those state.
serve TO put the grass in the best possible
condition for makinga fierce, Quick FIRE
when aided by the strong winds that al
most constantly blow over those prairies
Every dweller of the great northwest \,
more or less familiar with prairie fire,
They have often al nightfall seen their
lurid lights in the distant horizon. or BIZ
day their huge volumes Of smoke rising
and bending with the clouds and mapy
are even familiar with the consuming
march of the flames themselves Probably
the FIRST intimation the settler receives Of
an approaching fire comes from the falling
of burned particles of grass that have been
carried long distances by strong air cur
rents.
Later on smoke may be seen on the Dis
tant horizon. which increases in volume
and blaekness until the whole sky may Be
darkened; or if the night be coming on
the flames will light up the whole land
scape and their glow will be reflected
above The wise Dakotan has his farm or
ranch protected by ilrebreaks These are
usually made by blowing two strips, few
burrows wide and several rods apart, aud
burning the grass between
There is but little likelihood Of putting
ont a Dakota prairie fire during the day
as tie wind, which is almost invariably
blowing, and which the fire seems to
greatly increase ia force, never lulls until
the coming Of night Then. though there
Is no dcwfall IN that region, the fire burns
less fiercely ana may be at times entirely
extinguished The most successful method
Of putting out fire. and one frequently
employed, Is TO kill horse or COW, and
splitting the carcass drag il along the fire
line and over the flames. which are thus
extinguished.
This is done by attaching long wire ropes
TO two limbs OF the carcass. 70 each Of
which is hitched horse on which isanex
perienced rider. One Of these horsemen
rides on either side Of the line Of fire, and
by skillful refining they draw the body Of
the dead animal directly over the flames
Sometimes fresh hide, weighted down
with pieces Of iron fastened to it, is used
instead of the carcass Of an animal. By
this method line OF fire twenty miles 10
length may be extinguished in one night
Men on foot usually follow after the horse
men aud put out any fire that may remain
after they have passed
The scene presented by such a company
Of Ere fighters is extremely weird aud one
which a beholder is not likely to forget
Fortunate it is if those interested com
plpte their work before the coming Of
dawn. for If they do not the rising Of the
wind may send the fire leapiug over the
area Of country they have labored 70 save
and blackened plains and the smoldering
heaps that mark the sites Of former ranches
and homesteads will tell the oft told story
Of the Dakota prairie fire. Chicago Her
aid