The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1916-11-10
A DAY OF PRAIRIE FIRES

Last Sunday was y day of prairie
fires. A fire was started on the Muir
do trail just east Of Cody Sinuings
place in the morning, and it is sup.
posed to have been started from a
lighted cigar or cigaret stump being
carelessly thrown out in the grass by
an auto party travelling along the
road. The fire did considerable dam
age in the way of burning off several
thousand acres o. pasture and de-
stroying a large, amount OF hay. Some
of the people in the Cody neighbor-
hood were pretty bad hit and left
without pasture or hay for their stock
Tho fire burned clear to the Big
White River before being extiuguished
In the afternoon of the same day
the smoke of another fire to the
southwest was noticed. In this sac
tion the prairie fires have been most
frequent this fall, and we have heard
it rumored that most Of them are laid
to the door of firebug who seems to
be operating in that part OF the coun
ty. The fire Appeared to be quite a
distance to the southwest OF us and
the people of Wood retired at their
usual hour without a thought of be-
ing called on to fight the flames be-
fore morning. About 2:30 or 800 a.
m. Theo Film got up to take a look
at the fire and he discovered that the
town was in danger OF of being swept
by this fire unless an effort was made
to check the fames. He Immediately
reused the town aud in remarkably
short time practically everyone in
town was up and ready to do battle
with the angry flames that were trav
cling at a terrific rate, driven by a
strong west and southwest wind. It
was in remarkably short time that
six car loads of fire fighters We're got
ten ready with supply of fire fight
ing apparatus and were on the way to
meet the angry flames. The first fire
encountered was just west of Berkley
on the west side of White Thunder
creek. This appeared to be back
fire that had burned down to the
creek ahead of the big head fire. An
effort was made to burn line of back
fire about half mile west of White
Thunder creek along the telephone
liue, but before this line could be
completed the head fire, travelling at a
tremendous rate swept down from the
west. This fire was kept south of the
scenic highway until the Catholic
church west of town was reached,
where it jumped the highway and
then burned down to the creek, which
ii jumped, and was on its way east,
but line of back fire stopped it at
the west side of the A. X. Wood
ranch. The side tiros burned to the
White Thunder creek, where it burned
out with careful watching. Another
head fire just west of Berkley crossed
the creek and placed that little town
10 imminent danger about daylight,
but assistance came in time to save
the buildings and check the angry
flames. This fire was not entirely
subdued until about noon Monday.
Thousands of acres of fine pasture
and thousands of tons of fiue hay
went up in smoke. Up to the time o.!
going to press we have not heard Of
any houses being destroyed, or loss
Of stock, although there may have
been some. We have heard rumoc
that an Indian was pretty badly
burned by this fire and that he is at
the hospital at the Agency for treat
ment. i.
The towns of Wood and Berkley
were in most imminent danger for a
time, but by heroic work were saved.
Those who losS their pastures and
hay in these fires have our sincere
sympathy, for they will be IN rather
serious condition should we have a
hard winter. We believe that whoever
is responsible FOR lre,on day such
as Sunday was, should be severely
dealt with if the guilty one can be
discovered. One good example
might have a tendency to make the
people more cautious with fire.
Now that tbs smoke Of the politi-
cal hlttl.s IL drifting aWaN perhaDS