The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-05-06
SWEPT BY PRAIRIE FIRES.
Brule and Adjoining Counties Suffer
Severely-The Worst Ever.
Hundreds of Sheep, Cattle. and Other
Stock Burned.
Many Houses, Barns and Buildings in
Ashes amid Black Desolation.

Ashes amid Black DeSOlatiOn.
On Friday morning of last week, II. C..
McNary, a farmer living on section two
in Waldro township, six miles due north
from Kimball, started a fire to burn off a
small stubble field, In almost less time
than it takes to tell it the fire had COM
munnicated with the heavy grass in an
adjoining pasture and 1t never stopped
until it had spent its fury at the banks
of the Jim river fifty miles away, leaving
death, destruction and desOlatiOn In its
path; hundreds Of head of cattle, horses
and sheep; ruined homes, barns, outbuild-
ings and granaries and tue blackness of
death miles in extent. 1t was the most
disastrous prairie fire since the settle
meat.of the country. The fire swept
over $1,000 acres in Brule county alone,
in addition to large extent OF country
in Buffalo, Jerauld. Aurora and Dawson.
In this county all of Willow Lake and
Plummer townships were practically
swept clean, also most Of the east third
of Lyon and good slice of Waldro.
at the time the fire was started, be-
tween eight and nine, the wind was
blowing gentle breeze from the south
east but which increased every moment
from then on. The pasture to which the
fire communicated is one Of two belong
ing to W. II. Wyant, lying north in Lyon.
Mr.. Wyant, John Byrne, Eugene Nc
Laughlin and others were on the ground
engaged in putting in culvert for a
ditch coming from the south Lyon ar
tesian we'll, They saw the fire in the
stubble and at about the time the enter
ed the pasture. They had to almost flee
for their lives, so fast the fire swept north
upon them. In one Of the pastures were
a large number of cattle belonging to
Byrne & Stoneberger. Mr.. Byrne mount
ed one of his driving horses, harnesscd
as it was, and with an ak in his hand
vainlY tried to cut the fence and let the
cattle escape. He succeeded only par
TALLY, Some of them never got out of
the pasture alive, while the fire overlook
others that did, dropping them in their
tracks. sixty-hye head Of steers were
burned, mostly two-year-o!ds.
From here the fire swept north almost
with race-horse speed into Lyon town
ship. The Gregg place, the Kemp fasm,
the farms and buildings CT Wendell and
Kaspar Klinehans and the Lindsay
ranch, OIL which are u large number Of
sheep and cattle, were only saved with
great difficulty and heroic work Of the
little band OF fire-6ghters who happened
to be on hand. Andrew Brooks lost all
of his cattle barns, three Of them, but
saved his house. George Huggitt, in one
Of the north sections, was cleaned out
completely, losing everything, as was
also Jack Mock. The fire swept through
the center OF The township straight
north.
About the time the fro had reached
the north line Of the county and had
spread out its two lines of fire several
miles apart, the wind veered to the west
and then to the northwest, changing the
east line Of the fire into what plainsmen
call the "head" fire ten or twelve miles
long. The wind had now grown to a
ifty-mile-anihour gale and swept this
fire with resistless fury strSight east
across Plummer township and soptheas,
through the northwest corner of Waldro
all OF Willow Lake aud one corner o.
lPlainield, crossing the railroad toward
evening five miles east Of Kimbail.
1 In its course across Plummer and vii
low Lake the fire travelled with almos
incredible speed, jumping ordinary fire
breaks MS if they had never been. Ever
plowed fields offered no impediment. ST
strong was the wind and hot The tower
| ing flame along the head Ere. The fir
would catch fifty to one hundred fee
ahead constantly. Those who saw th'
awful fury of it said that at times tn
flames would roll as high as a house, a
railroad speed, and that when the fir,
struck a field Of tall grass a man on
race horse would not be safe in front o
it. In most cases it was impossible fo
farmers 10 save the smallest hOuseho.,
effects. Before the. could realize it tn
flames were upon them. In other case
they vainly tried to head off the fire i'm
til too late to do anything.
&C. Tritle was a heavy loser in Viii
low Lake, though the succeeded in say
Ing his new house so far as completed
but a large amount OF new lumber an
material was consumed. The Savoi farm
on which he is temporarily living wa
swept clean Of all buildings. The sam
fate befell TIE Phelps place, W. Jones
Enoch Whites, the Mols-: EARN, Engbertl
and the place rented by Vim. Kinsells
Mr.. Jones lost everything, Mrs. Jone
saving few articles Of wearing appal
rel. Jas. Kinsella stated out from tow
but when he got on the ground every
thing was IN ashes. Ten hogs WEI
burned and all machinery. At the Enl
bert place S1CO in cash was burned wit