The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1905-04-15
PRAIRIE FIRES.

Last Friday a week ago, was a
bad day for prairie fires, owing to
a heavy wind coming up very sud-
denly and as the grass was so very
dry, both conditions combining to
make a fire most dangerous. The
500 train on the way to Under
wood set a fire about four miles
out from here and all the citizens
of Washburn were soon out with
buckets, brooms, sacks and water
but the wind, which was blowing
a gale, was from the south east and
the fire passed to the north and
east. The wind carried the fire
along with the speed Of a race
horse and nothing seemed to stop
the head fire.
The loss Of hay and grazing was
heavy, the farmers who reported
the loss Of hay stated that they
had fire guards, but it afforded no
protection. One of the heaviest
losses reported was that Of Mr..
and Mrs. Jennings living near the
Pace post Office, who lost every
thing in the fire. Mr.. Jennings has
been confined to the house for a.
number Of years and he was so
badly burned that for a time his
life was despaired Of. The loss" is
a heavy one. Mr.. NJ. Q. Falck, one
of the old settlers, lost his barn,
hay and. other property. Louis
Pfster lost his barn and granary,
also his seed and feed. His loss will
be quite heavy. The fire burned
over a large territory and many
narrow escapes are reported.
Over in Oliver county, just on
the other side of the river, a ter
rible fire was burning at the same
time and was watched from this
side by a number Of people. who
expected to see the homes of the
farmers in the path, of the fire des-
troyed and a shout Of Joy went up
when the smoke cleared away and
the buildings were unframed. The
flames driven by the heavy wind
could be seen to leap into the air
from twenty to thirty feet. The
only loss reported was owe 100
tons of hay for the Fisher Bros,
and considerable range was burned
over.
The fires on the above date was
scattered over the county. Treas.
Root, who was over on the farm
near Goodrich, reported that six
fires started over in his section,
and it required the combined force
at the farm to save the buildings.
1.-THE loss in that section was very
heavy. :
The forenoon of Friday was
warm and pleasant with hardly q
breath of air and many of the fires
was caused by burning straw piles,
which in some instances had been
burning for several days. The
wind came up suddenly, like a
t1typhoon in the southern sea, scat
tering the burning straw piles and
causing a heavy loss. In this
prairie country people cannot be
too careful regarding fires. There
does not seem to be much excuse
for any one who let's a fire get
away by burning a straw pile at
this season OF in fact any other
season. If the straw il in the field
.Iplow around it until il il safe. It
may be inoonvenient, perhaps, but
what does that amount to along
side q the danger g life and prop
srty ofpthers through prairie 6ress
Now while on the subject of,6res
il will1not b out Of place to again
call attention to the fire guard
Question. The LHADER has reg
uiarlyl warned it readers about the
necessity q having good, safe
guards, not one consisting Of only
1.-TWO ar three burrows, but q good,
common sense one that will afford
protection. If these matters are
looked after the prairie fires will
noou boon~o b,,< n roo~c-,, o-l