St. Paul daily globe., 1894-10-26
THE RANGES DEVASTATED.
Haystaeks Destroyed, and 1t
Is Feared Thousands OF
Cattle PeriShed.
SIX MEN WERE BURNED.
Flames Threaten the Village
Of Bedford With De-
StructiOn.

HYANNIs, Neb, Oct. 25.-This week
has been direful one in large portion
of the sand hills. Devastating fires
swept throughout the western part of
Cherry and Grant counties, burning on
the north side of the Burlington u Mis-
souri, railway track to within about four
miles of Hyannis. Lashed on by furi-
Gus wind, the fires travelled at pace
that carried CONSERVATION as we'll as de-
struction. The fire north of the railroad
was set the first of the week by a man
and lsTpipe, about ten miles north of
Alliance. The man, after lighting his
pipe, threw the burning match on the
ground, where it ignlted the grass. In
an instant a fire started which,
famed by the northwest wind.
at once set out OH its mis-
sion of destruction. Specific reports
of damage done on the ranches
of some of the sufferers are not in yet.
Those losing hay are as follows: Bart
lett Rich ;rds. 1850 tons; Margraves,
$50 tons; Pat More. 100 tons: West. 100
tons; II. Woodruff. 600 tons; Stansbie
Bros, 1000 tons; j. II. Miner, 1000
tons; Mason Bros, barn and 1.2OO tons.
1t is reported two men were burned at
Mullen. one is dead and the other lying
in a critical condition, and will die.
At about the same time another fire
started on the south side of the track
and is burning everything clear to the
Blue river. AT present the fire is largely
confined to isolated districts in Sheri-
dan. Grant. Thomas and Cherry coun-
ties. Little information is obtainable,
as the fire is swept by the high winds
first in one direction and then in an
other, but the loss is known to be
heavy. The fatalities known are as
follows, though many unveritied rumors
declare many ranchmen were lost:
E. L. LELOCHER, ranchman, caught by
flames while trying to save mis- home.
- BLISS, brother-in-law of Lelocher.
TWO UNKNOWN MEN.
In Sheridan county the fire has
burned over strip of country forty
miles wide, and is still burning. Thou
sands of tons of hay been destroyed,
leaving cattlemen destitute. The
homes of two men, with their stock, we're
burned and their cattle range ruined.
1t will require thousands of dollars to
repair the great damage of the fire.
Nothing like the ruin has happened for
years. At Bradford, ten miles south,
citizens were out until Il late hour last
night burning fire guards, and at this
time the town is considered safe, unless
the fire should come in north of the
strip burned yesterday. The wind is
blowing sixty miles an hour and grave
fears of fire are entertained, as the at
mosphere is full of smoke and cinders.
So far no loss of life is reported in that
locality, but the loss Of range will be
great to the stockmen.
Hundreds of thousands of head of
cattle are grazing in Cherry, Thomas,
Grant and other counties where the
fires are raging. These cattle were
sent there from the southern part OF
the state, where the drouth has been
felt so heavily, and were taken to the
northern counties to Craze for the win
ter. 1t is feared large proportion of
these cattle have perished in the flames.
1t is almost impossible to get any def
mite Information concerning the fires.
as they are at some distance from the
railway station.
The loss to farmers and stock raisers
VIII be enormous. and, coming as it
does, on the top of the drouth. the situ-
alton will be hard to bear this winter.
1t will be several days before any def
mite details as to loss of life and prop.
erty will be known, since those who
have fled from their homes to the water
courses to avoid the flames will not
leave them while the fires are being so
constantly shifted by the high wind.