Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-04-09
DISASTROUS FIRES.
THEY SWEEP FuRloUsLY OVER THE
PRAIRlES or NEBRASKA,
EverythinE in Ashes-corrais. Barns.
Fences, Hsystacks, Homes Destroycd-
Villages wiped Out-Lives Lost.
nv ,o,.gr,nb 70 The pi,pn,ch.l

NORTH PLATTE, NKB., April "a uisas-
trous prairie fire broke out south OF Suth-
erland. in this county, yesterday. Inc
loss will probably reach SlC0.OOO. IL IS
claimed the lrc was started by passing
engine. Never has such disastrous
prairie FIRE devastated the Platte Valley.
Everything for a distance OF twenty-five
miles il in ruin. and the width of the re-
gion affected IS from three to four miles.
Everything--cOrrals, barns, fences. and
hay-stacks-is in ashes.
The fire started south Of Sutherland
shortly before noon and swept everything
before it, travelling at q rate OF from thirty
to fifty miles an hour. shortly after IL
o o'clock II struck the city OF North Platte.
where bv almost superhuman efforts only
the town was saved. 1he fire companies
responded 10 the alarm as soon as 1t was
known that the fire was raging west OF
the city. and when they reached the out
skirts Of the city the fire was upon them
and fought them back within the water
limits. Almost everything beyond the
water limits was licked up in few min
utes by the flames. The farmers and
ranchers in this neighborhood will lose
everything.
THg DAMAGE DONE ENORMOUS.
OMAHA. NEB.. April s.-The gale which
swept over Nebraska yesterday bore be-
fore il great pillows of flame, which swept
from Thousands OF fertile acres every yes
tige Of vegetation. The hunts OF the fire,
winch has ragged during the last ten days,
have become almost Statewide, and tho
destruction that IL was thought might be
small has become enormous. 1t - too
soon TO Get any idea OF how much the ex-
act damage Is. Tor the places most Affected
are remote from telegraph hEes. II IS
known. though. that much grain and hay
IN store. together with many barns and
other Outbuildings, miles OF fences. dozens
Of dwellings, and many bridges nave heen
licked up. Whether any lives have been
lost is not reported. though 1t seems al
most beyond doubt that some settlers who
are located away from easy assistance
must have persisted.
VILLAGE SWEPT AWAY.
In Banner county the village Of Ash
moro is supposed to haye been completely
DESTROYED, Word was brought TO Harris
burg last night by the driver OF the stage
tina. the village named was directly IN the
path Of the fire ut o'clock and that the
entire population OF tho town was engageI
in a battle to save their homes. The stage
driver reported having seen several dwell
ing houses IN flames and the settlers fee-
ing for their lives. He crossed the line OF
the FIRE and received a severe screening,
although he IS not seriously burned.
Meagre details from Ogalls Harrisburg,
Dunning, Inyerten. Kearney, Grand island.
Lexington. and Hastings give accounts OF
great losses to property.
RAILWAY BRIDGES GONE.
A Burlington railroad bridge at Dun
nington and another at Hastings, on the
Elk Horn, were destroyed, delaying trans
somewhat. At Kearney the fire burned
near enough to the town 10 destroy a
brewery located Just at the edge. NJ
Cunning an old lady named Bartlett was
so badly burned that she NAV die.
The Gale subslded by nlghttall. but the
winds have scarcely abated, and IN the
threatened sections the inhabitants have
spent long hours in combating the fire.
The region burned over Is the chief
grazing section OF the State, and the de-
struction of the grass means great loss
to stockmen in this respect. as they Will
be compelled to seek new pastures. Thor
feed in store being destroyed, and their
stock stampeded by the fire, 1t will take
them many weeks to figure up what their
loss really IS.
FURY OF THE FLAMEs INDEscRIBABLE.
ArxswoRrH. NEB., April S.-The most
fearful fire that has been witnessed In TINS
country for many years passed over neaIly
all of the country from three or four miles
north of this city to the Nlobrara river, a
distance OF fifteen miles, yesterday, de-
stroyIng much property and lRpefilllng
life. Tho wind blew a gale. Parties
coming through the burned district say
the fury OF the fire could not be described.
Ii swept over the prairie at rate OF forty
miles an hour.