The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-10-09
SIXTY DAYS DROUGHT.

The Dr.ed-Up Condition Seriously Menac-
ng-NayigatiOn on the Lakes Impeded
by Smoke and EOg-FOrest and Prairie
Fires Numerous. and Farmers Kept Busy
Fighting to Save Their Homes.
CHICAGO, Oct. g. Extremely hot
weather for the month of October is
now prevailing in this section. Dur
ing the past - hours the thermometer
in this city went up to Sc degrees, an 1,
according to the signal service recort S.
this is the highest point hat has be-
registered for the month of October N
81 years. Dense smoke aggravated Il e
conditions. On account of the drought
the last two months
EVERYTHING Is AS DRY AS FINDER,
and forest and prairie fires are numer
Gus. Lake Michigan has been mare
almost unnavigable on account of t e
smoke and fog. Captains on incomi &
vessels have reported a most alarmi &
state of affairs. Many had not sic pt
for As hours on account of the watch
fulneSs that was necessary. Boats
picking their way through the straits
of Mackinaw were badly hampered.
LAND MARKS ARE UTTERLY OBLITERATED
and lights rendered indistinct alta dis.
lance of the length of the steamer.
The smoke is attributed to excessive
forest fires. Hunting parties. careless
in their camping, are thought to h. We
started the broad con1agrations. Ma-
rine 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 southern wards
and suburbs are
SURROUNDED BY PRAIRIE FIRES
and dense smoke overhangs a lai q
part of the territory lying south. OF
~Seventy-ffth street. Hundreds OF
acres of prairie have been partially
burned over, and thousands of feet OF
sidewalks and fencing have been con.
sumed. Firemen in this division of the
city are completely exhausted fighting
prairie fires by day and night. NJ PSI
of the fires are started by sparks fl DIE
locomotives and not infrequently by
mischievous boys, who set the grass or
fire for the excitement.
DISASTROUS PRAIRIE
A dispatch from Bremen, Ind, lays
the most disastrous prairie fire known
in the history of Marshall county is
now raging. Hundreds of acres of land
in the northern portion of the county,
comprising what is locally known as
the big Marsh" is one vast, smolder-
- ,-oa ,oe ,rho- law, 4 ~
a breeze, the heat bursts into a blaze,
and, darting across cloverfields, corn.
fields or meadows, lays waste every
thing in its path, only stopping when
HEADED OFF BY FLOWED FIELDS
or highways. The drought of the last
go days has made the pastures brown,
compelling stock to seek the lowlands
for grazing, where the fire is smolder-
ing underneath. Many instances are
reported where cattle, in passing over
the t~reacherous ground, have broken
through into the burning peet and per-
ished. Farmers are kept busy day and
night fighting the flames and prevent
ing destruction of their homes, but the
lack of water
MAKES II BATTLE ALMOST HOPELESS.
Just west of Wallxerton more than
1000 acres has been swept of every
vestige of vegetation, many thousands
of tons of hay and miles of fences hav.
ing been consumed.
The large barn of Joseph kirkly wa
in the path of the flames, and together
with its contents, composed of hay,
grain and farm machinery, was burned.
is being felt for the safety of towns
without fire protection. Nothing short
of a drenching rain can possibly check
the progress of the flames.