The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-09-21

tinguished grass fire on the slopes of
Mount Etna. And, like the skyrockets pro
PEELED by the rapidity of combustion, ex
tensive conhagrations are apt to be famed
by the whirl Of their own gales. The as
cent of the heated air creates a vacuum
which attracts gusts Of wind from all
sides, and the air currents drawn into the
vortex of widespread forest fire may at
tain the force of hurricane. = ring wall
OF broad sand hills might fail TO protect
wood built city against the cinder show
ers of such storm.
About 3 O'Clock in the afternoon, " says
report from Hinckley, Mimi, the fire
literally jumped into the town. Its APP
proach was not gradual 1t did not cut
its way along. devouring everything in its
path, but came on in huge leaps. as il TO
overtake everything fleeing before it and
then burn back at its leisure. The in
tense heat had developed a veritable whirl
wind OF flame that actually twisted OF
poplar trees several inches in thickness
and gathering huge blazing frebrands
high in the air and carrying them forward
from 40 to so yards, there TO fall and re
commence the work OF devastation.
The Death Flames
Some 2OG settlers Of the Grindstone val
ley took refuge IN "A swamp in the hope
that the humid vegetation would arrest
the progress Of the fire, but the breath Of
the approaching flame storm raised clouds
Of steam from the moist bottoms and made
rank willow brakes as con5ustible ss
straw Realizing the significance OF their
mistake. the refugees scrambled out and
ran for their lives, but were overtaken by
the fire stream, and with few exceptions
persisted in the flames.
The temperature Of the central furnace
OF that forest gcheuna may be implied
from the fact that in several lake shore
settlements the approach Of the FIRE could
Re fclt - well ~ seen from distance q
u miles, and that the windows Of fast
running passenger trains were burst b.
the heat Il the pursuing storm. The train
by that time had reached a down grade
and dashed ahead al a rate of little Jess
than q mile minute. but the roar 81 the
fire tornado almost drowned the rattle 81
the cars, and before long the woods vFere
afire ahead as well as left ard night Of the
engine
when about four mics south n the
Grincs,3ne river. SAYS the report % Con
ductor Sullivan. the engineer first no
iiced tha; the FRS which had ben raging
IN rear O. tsls TAIN WEFH racing BIB Tor
his life and the lives q his pas=snrrrs
Cinders were flying - al directions and
the sueks was - dsnse that il bacaTns vel
nigh impossible % see hgTond the caD
vVindove. even with tie aid Il the po-er
FL hesGii GIT * first Ne tko1gbi b. ccCia
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