Audubon Republican., 1897-10-07
DEATH AND DEVASTATION.
Loss of Life and Property by Prairie
Fires I'm Manitoba.

Loss of Life and Property by Prairie
Fires I'm Manitoba.
Winnipeg, Man., Oct. 3.-The prairie
fire which ragged all over the country
Saturday, being famed and driven by
a gale of wind, died out during the
night and Sunday mornings sun
dawned upon terrible scene of death
and devastation. Farmhouses, imple-
ments, crops and live stock were every
where consumed and many farmers lost
their all. A most lamentable story
comes from Beausejour, 40 miles east,
of this city, where two women and five
children named Moreski were burned
to death. Fire came upon their home,
which was in the woods, from two di-
rections simultaneously and shut off
all means of escape. Only few charred
remains were found. There were many
narrow escapes. Carcasses of horses,
cattle and sheep are lying all over the
district and number of families of
foreigners are homeless and utterly
destitute.
At Bagot, 70 miles west, the Canadian
Pacific railroad station and seven cars.
the Dominion Grain company's ele-
vator, with 10000 bushels of wheat,
Lawrie's store, Higinbotham's, Links
and Buchanan's stables, cold storage
warehouse and Farmer Waldron's farm
buildings and crops were totally de-
stroyed. The little town was prac-
tically wiped out of existence. At Stony
Mountain fire ran up to the Canadian
Pacific railroad platform, where by des-
perate efforts its progress was stayed.
Much hay and grain were consumed in
this district.
Chicago Junction, o., Oct. 4.-The
prairie fire is still raging here. The
flames have reached the gardens and
village of the Hollanders Celery COM
pany, and hundreds of men are fighting
to keep the flames from entering the
village. The wind at present is favor
able. Over 5000 acres of farm land lie
in waste. Many families have deserted
their homes. leaving crops and stock
to perish in the flames. The damage
already done amounts to thousands of
dollars.
Larned, Kan, Oct. A prairie fire
swept over the northwestern portion of
this county Saturday, destroying 1O,-
600 tons of hay and corn fodder and
several thousand bushels of wheat. The
fire was started by a thrashing engine.
Before the fire could be checked it
burned over a territory estimated at
10000 acres. No lives were lost.
Rapid City, S. D., Oct. 4.-Serious
fires have been raging north and south
of this place for four days, and the citi-
zens are exhausted from fighting the
flames to save their homes. All night
300 men made desperate stand against
the line of fire approaching from the
north, and finally succeeded in saving
the town, though many farmhouses
were burned. The fire had approached
within two miles of Rapid City. 1t had
been burning for four days in the
heaviest timbered part of the Black
hills. 1t was swept toward Rapid City
in solid sheet of flame two miles wide.
From various points in Nebraska come
reports of disastrous fires. Much farm
property has been destroyed, but as far
as known no lives have been lost. Much
stock has perished; the woods and
prairies are very dry, no rain having
fallen here for two months. Guards
have been placed on all the high hills
in this section to give warning of the
approach of fire.