The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-04
RessHess Flames Sweep Over 3OQ0Squafe Miles of Ter
 itOry in Oklahoma
NUMEROUS FARM HOUSES
 ARE TOTALLY DESTROYED
Thousands of Men Turn Out In the Towns and Form Bucket Brig ades to Fight the Fiery
 Torrent.

Lawton, o. T., March 3.-Five persons were burned to death and 5000 square miles of territory in Kiowa and Commanche counties were swept by prairie fires yes terday, according to reports received here today. Hundreds of people are homeless and 1t Is impossible to estimate accurate ly the financial loss, owing to the wide extent of the country affected.
 At Hobart, the county seat of Kiowa county, the fire approached from the east destroying the stables on fifteen ranches, fifteen residences, two business houses and various small buildings. Spreading to the southwest the fire swept 75,O00 acres of government military and timber re- serves, and the Indian school reserve. de- stroying several Indian houses and forty head of government cattle. Spreading westward, the flames covered miles of the homestead district, destroying houses, barns and stock.
 Five Persons Perish
 It was in this district that five persons are reported to have perished in attempt- ing to protect their property. The names of three have been learned. They are Doc and John Harmon, brothers, and a man named Fischer The other two were women and their names have not yet been learned Late at night the fire began moving southward toward this city. At midnight 5000 people of the city were up to battle with the approaching monster of destruction.
 The advance line of the fire was fully two miles in length. and came in a semi circular form A thousand men turned their efforts to checking the flames in the grass borders of the reservation at the city limits. Water from every source, car ried in every conceivable way, was dis tributed along this line and carried all around the city limits. This served the purpose of checking the advance lines of the fire but was of little avail in hi T. derfng the continued rolling of the ire brands Into the streets of the city.
 Flames Burst Out Everywhere.
 In more than a hundred places flames arose from dwellings, barns and out houses, but wherever blaze grew men were present to quench it with water. As a result of the cool judgment of the nght- CTS. the city's loss was only $l0,OOO.
 Stories are coming in tonight of how families lay out on the prairie through ont the freezing night after the storm had passed with only the thin clothes on their backs as reminders of the once nrosperous homes. Hundreds of people are destitute and are suffering intensely from the cold and with excruciating pains oc- casioned by their burns. Clothes, medicine and physicians are being sent out from all the cities and towns of the district to relieve the suffering. Cavalry from Fort Sill and officers from this city are search ing for missing men, women and children.
 Names of Six Are Learned.
 The names of six persons dangerously burned have been learned and reports per- sistently continue from various districts, that large number of persons were in- iured in fighting the flames
 l. c. Strickland the sexton of the Law ion cemetery, and his wife and two chil- dren. were seriously burned. The mother and one little daughter may die.
 I Denny. a farmer, seriously injured.
 R. E. Prosper, living three miles out of Lawton, lost all his property, herd of cattle and was burned seriously but with his entire family in night clothes, escaped to plowed ground and remained in the cold night air until dawn.
 A report has been received at Fort Sill that an entire Apache Indian village was swept clean. The report has not been veri- fled.
 The soldiers at Fort Sill were ordered ont to fight the flames and rendered great assistance.
 At Anadarko many buildings were hurned No lives are reported lost, but there were numerous escapes. Women and children scantily clad fled to plowed ground while the men remained in an en- deayor to save property.