The record-union., 1897-10-06
HOT WEATHER
AT CHICAGO.
Thermometer Jumps Up to Eighty
Six Degrees.
Highest Point Registered in October for
Tweniy-SeYen Years.
The Conditions Aggravated by
Dense Smoke, Occasioned by
Forest and Prairie Fires-Lake
on Account of the Smoke and
Fog.

CHICAGO, Oct. 5. - Extremely hot
weather for the month of October is
now prevailing in this section. During
the past twenty four hours the ther-
mometer in this city went up to Sc de-
grees, and, according to the Signal Ser
vice records, this is the highest point
that has been registered for the month
of October in twenty-seven years.
Dense smoke aggravated the condi-
tions. On account of the drought the
last two months everything is as dry
as tinder, and forest and prairie fires
are numerous. Lake Michigan has
been made almost unnavigable on ac-
count of the smoke and fog. Captains
on incoming vessels have reported q
most alarming state of affairs. Many
had not slept for forty eight hours on
account of the watchfulness that was
necessary Boats picking their way
through the Straits of Mackinaw were
practically hampered. Landmarks
We're utterly obliterated and lights rem
dered indistinct at a distance of the
length of the steamer. The smoke is
attributed to excessive forest fires.
Hunting parties careless in their camp
ing are thought to have started the
broad conf1agration-
Marine underwriters are apprehensive
of numerous STANDINGS on account Of
the smoke, and bulletins from the lower
end of the lakes are watched for with
great anxiety.
Chicago's southern wards and sub
urbs are surrounded by prairie fires,
and dense smoke overhangs large
part of the territory lying south OF
Seventy first street. Hundreds of acres
of prairie have been burned over, and
thousands of feet of sidewalk and fenc-
ing have been consumed. Firemen in
this division of the city are completely
exhausted fighting prairie fires by day
and night. Most of the fires are start
ed by sparks from locomotives and not
infrequently by mischievous boys, who
set the grass on fire for the excitement.
A dispatch from Bremen, Ind, says
the most disastrous prairie fire known
in the history of Marshall County is
now raging. Hundreds of acres OF
land in the north portion of the county,
comprising what is locally known as
the "big marsh, is one vast, smolder-
ing waste. At times, when famed by q
breeze, the heat bursts into blaze and.
darting across clover fields, corn fields
or meadows, lays waste everything in
it's path, only stopping when headed off
by plowed fields or highways.
Many instances are reported where
cattle, in passing over the treacherous
ground, have broken through into the
burning peat and perished Farmers
are kept busy day and night fighting
the flames and preventing destruction
of their homes, while lack of water
makes the battle almost hopeless.
Just west of Walkerton more than
/ 900 acres have been swept of every
vestige of vegetation, many thousands
of tons of hay and miles of fence hav-
ing been consumed. The large barn of
Joseph Kirkley was in the path of the
flames and, together with its contents,
composed of hay, grain and farm ma
chinery, was burned. With fire on ev-
cry side, great anxiety is being felt for
the safety of towns without fire protec-
ton. Nothing short of a drenchiHg rain
can possibly check the progress of the
flames.