The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-20
TWO PRAIRIE FIRES
Great Destruction in Ness and
Lane Counties.
WORST IN FIVE YEARS
Strip Twelve by Thirty Miles
Long Burned Over.
WORST IN FIVE YEARS

Ness City. Kan. March p--(Spedal)-
The Ness city News says:
The NEST destructive IRE that has Wis
tied our community during the pas, five
years swept over the western portion oi
the county last Monday and Tuesday
leaving in Us wake blackened prairie
heaps OF ashes noting here and there spots
where had formerly stood barns. stables
and stacks OF feed, aggregaung 4 loss e
our people OF many thousands OF dollars
The fire that caused the greatest desrruc-
ton came from the southwest, and is sup
posed 70 have originated somewhere il
the neighborhood OF Cimarron, on the
Arkansas river. AL day Monday Il was
seen wreaking its destruction west and
south, and rapidly approaching toward
the city, famed by q wind that was trav-
cling at from forty TO fifty miles an hour.
and il looked as IL only a miracle could
prevent its reaching this place; and at
about O'Clock IN the AFTERNOON the
miracle was wrought. for at that hour
the wind suddenly changed TO the north
west. But the change brought no per-
manent feeling of relief, for a fire had
started north of the csty. and was burn
Ing hercely and running rapidly TO the
south and east. The fire is said TO have
caught from a spark from the chimney
OF Henry Wallace, and run its course
until IL was checked on the railroad be-
tween this city and Bazins. Parties from
this city were out both Monday and
Tuesday assisting in the effort to control
the raging fires, but il vas not until the
evening Of the second day that the effort
was successful. AT the time OF writing
it is difficult TO ascertain the area OF the
territory burned over. but from the best
Information IT IS safe 70 say that a strip
about twelve miles wide and thirty miles
long was laid waste in the western part
OF this county. and much more west Of
our line. Individual losses have been
many, but except IN cases where II has
been possible 10 interview the sufferers
or persons who have been on the ground
II is impossible 10 state with exactuess
either the character or nature OF property
destroyed Among other losses reported
are the following:
T. C. Pepper, Ohio township: lost all
buildings except house, also lost feed and
some stock.
Neal Webster, Ohio township; lost sta
bies, outbufdings, corn and feed.
Eli Sinner. Eden township: lost barn
and feed and had a close can for his
house.
Eugene Campbell. Center: lost barn and
feed.
Henry Wallace, Forester: lost two
stacks OF feed. two calves and had a
horse badly burned.
Barney AIulvaney. Forester; LOST barn
and other property among which was a
hog.
c. J. C1evenger. Eden; hogs and calves,
all feed, granary with several hundred
bushels Of wheat.
Henry Eiiis. Eden: lost everything ex-
cept a feather bed Loss Included house.
household goods and provisions
George Thompson. Eden: los Stables
and feed.
David Dopp, Eden: stables. feed. grain
implements and tools.
= H. Fitting. Ohio; stables, feed. grain.
calves. pigs. etc
H. 4. Etewart, Eden: horses and cattle
". Gray, johnson; stables and feed
John Stephens, Eden; stables feed.
farming implements, clothing. bedding.
etc.