The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-12-15
Prairie HRS.

The fires that recently devastated forests
in northern Michigan and " Wisconsin other
recent fires that swept acr0SS the areas OF
prairie lands in Manitoba and North Da-
kOta, and still other fires that burned over
square miles among the Rocky Mountains
have revived train OF "reminiscences
among the old-time plainsmen out this
way concerning their own experiences IN
great prairie fires two or three decades ago.
One who has never seen prairie fire such as
used every Fail 10 deSastate the plains from
the Missouri River TO the Rocky Mountains
ard from the Rio GTande to cen raj British
America can have no idea what such
enormous conflagrationS were.
so large a part OF the prairie is now
broken up by settlements that the fires
have lost much of their old-time size and
grandeur; but the very fact OF the settle
ment makes the danger L property and
life the greater.
Prairie fires with solid walls Of fame
25 and 80 feet high extending 10 and more
miles as the wind might be blowing, Rave
been Common. The dis-anc Gre will lump
in crossing these prairie streams, where
the grass grows ranl, and tail to the very
waters edge, seems almost past belief.
In case fire cannot cross i'm one place there
is usually place where It san, and so it
rushes on, frequently leaving larre unburc
irregular A-shaped places along the
streams or lakes. but leaving she country
black, barren an ferbidding. At other
times, when 1t gets among stretehesOf blue
Joint or other Fab grass il travels at such
a rate that a horse, be he ever so fast,
could not loag keep ahead. 7 will fire.
Quently happen that too lens advancing
arms viii join several miles ahead of the
main line of flame and rush onward, form
ing new front and leaving rapidly dis
appearing island of unburDt grass behind.
Among the most devastating of the last
great fires on the plains was 0ae in 1880.
a prairie fire swept down fr n British Co
lumbia, across the international line into
Dakota, until it reached the Northern Pa
cific Railroad. At it's greatest width, in
northern Dakota, the flames were $50 miles
wide. Over 10 0eo square miles were covered
by the sweeping fire.
MANY ma has been hanged, or shot to
death If the convenience for hanging were
not to be had on the treeless, poieless
plains, for starting prairie tires. The
cattlemen and cowseys assisted by the
soldiers at the Army posts on the prairieS,
always started out Immediately after a
prairie fire to investigate its cause. But
very often there was nothing left TO tell the
tale of the origin of the con fiagKatiOn.
Fire-breaks are plowed by the men in the
prairie towns every August and eptem-
Der. A fire break is made by blowing few
burrows Just outside and entirely around
town. Further out, say ic0 yards. another
circle is made, and then the grass burned
between. Tais eGectually prevents any
hostile fire from taking the community.
1t very frequently happens that this fire
break is constructed after the Ere whic h it
is intended to guard against has appeared.
On such occasionS, while ore PARTY goes
out with breoans, sksxels, Old grain sacks
asd other weapons ia stay the progress OF
the Ere as n1Hea possible, another at
taehss teams 70 al the piozrs that can be
found and be-ins to nsaise the seeded fur
rows. AS seen 80 the burrows are turned
the back fire between Ks started and
usually the town is saved. The fire
breaks, simrle thsy are, have saved
thousands of lives ef settlers in the West,
and protected vast aRseant OF eapitaj
invested in farming property aaa homes Of
poor families.