St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-08-04
FIRE ON THE PRAIRIE.
Horrors of Settlers From a Visi-
tation of Flames.

tation of Flames.
Philadelphia Times
The morning dawned bright and
clear. The sun rose and lighted land
scape not yet touched with faintest
shade of green, but here and there a
lark warbled her merry song. betoken-
ing the speedy coming of the spring
time. AS the sun aSce nded, each little
group of dwellings that marked the habi-
tation Of some Western pioneer became
scene OF activity, and soon the teams
were vending their way to fields of
labor, some near at hand and some re-
mote, where farmers, one and all, were
busy putting in the seed for the coming
harvest.
Not breath of air stirred; not dis
cordant sound broke upon the ear; all
was still save the rafting wagons, the
prairie chickens serenading on q dis
tant slope and the lnyriads of twittering
birds. But soon a dim haze became
visible in the western horizon; the tail,
dead bunch grass began to sway in tine
hreeze; fitful little gusts of wind caught
up the dry corn husks and sent them
whirling high into the air.
An hour passed; the dim haze had
developed into well-defned column of
smoke away to the westward. and the
farmer in the field and the busy wife at
home cast anxious glances now and
then toward the increasing smoky eX-
panSe, wondering if 1t could by any
chance endanger their little possessions
The Wind Changes.
But no. the wind is bearing 1t south
ward. The much-dreaded fire tiend
will pass down the canyons to the river
and its devaStations will cease. Some
ones property is in danger, some one is
fighting hre, but each man must look to
his own interests, and the farmer works
away, fast leveling the dry corn stalks
as The wheat is covered i'll the
fields thai will soon be
mass OF living green. But look!
The wind is changing, Yeering to the
north, and the result is soon marked.
The dense volume of smoke is leaving
the canyon and backing up the draws
toward tie divide. Fiercer the wind
blows and faster the fire approaches.
Self now must be protected and team
after team leaves the field. Here and
there man on horseback is seen gallOp-
ing toward the smoke.
PlOWS are brought into requiSition
and burrows are thrown up in the short,
crisp buffalo grass of the open prairie,
thinking to check the devastating fire,
but it is too late; the smoke grows
denSer, the fire comes roaring up out Of
the draws. How it crackleS, and the
thick, black smoke ascendS as the dry
bunch-graSS Is hungrily devOured.
Now 1t has reached the divide and
the flames leaped high into the air. visi-
bic for miles around. The wind lulls
and the fire creepS along, slowly but
surely, in the thick, short grass The
men attempt to whip it out as it reaches
the plOWed TurrOW. For a time they
succeed, but severe gust of wind
thwartS all their labor, the fire Jumps
the guard and ruSheS on. Pastures and
hay land must burn. Each man TO his
home. Stacks, cribs, stocks aud build
ingS must be saved.
a race begins between fire and horse
men. One man with d team from the
pillow is directly i'll its course. He urges
the horses into a gallOp, but the purSu-
ing demon is overtaking him. He does
all that he can do, wheels his horses
around and daSheS through the flames.
Only an instant, and the painting ami
maiS, with Singed legs and half-Stitied
by the smoke, have borne their master
safely to the already blackened prairie.
Saving Their Homes.
Women are intently watching the
dreaded fire bearing down upon them,
anxious for both home and husband, but
mere ne comes some distance ahead OF
the fire, and with willing hands every
one upon the place that can carry a
bunch Of burning grass or wet rag to
eXtinguish the flames that go amiSS
lends ready help III back firing, the last
resort 10 save the building.
In an incredibly short space OF time a
strip is burned between home ana fire.
The tired workers pause to Smile at the
little bunch of quaiiS and the frightened
jack rabbit that i'll company came hop
ping up the road ahead of the fire, then
turn and stand awe-Stricken by the
graudeaur of the scene as the fire itself
comes roaring, cracking, rushing on.
1t strikes the burned strip, divides, en-
circles the little group of buildings and
passes on to repeat the scenes at other
homes until the wind dies and the fire
can be controlled.
The day is nearly dOne-no one has
thought OF dinner; but now that the
excitement Is over much-needed rest |
and refreShment ale sought. The sun |
sets. but upon a different scene from |
that on which it rose. The HOMOGENEOUS !
BROWNIES of the morning has disap- |
peared. Bare, blackened prairie, corn |
and stubble-tieldS are alone visible, |
forming a mOnotonOus blacknes5, dreary |
and gloomy. The wind has gone down |
with the sun, and darkness reveals in |
the distance a still burning stack. and |
here and there crawling serpent of |
flame, reminders that the dreadful fire |
hend has breathed his scorching breath |
once more upon the land.
IDA KAYs.