Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 September 1893 — Fires and More Fires! [ARTICLE]

Fires and More Fires!

Great Damage Resulting From Fires In All Parts of the County. A very destructive prairie fire occured in Jordan Tp., Tuesday, begining near Neverfail school house. It seems to have burned over a good many sections and at last accounts was still spreading. Chris. Hensler and sons,David Garrison and John Bicknell Jr., are reported the heaviest losers; the greatest damage in all cases, being the burning of hay in stacks. Bicknell alone is reported to have lost about 150 tons. The total amount burned will reach 300 or 400 tons, perhaps much more. Pastures and fences are burned over, miles upon miles of fences destroyed, and live stock scattered, and left without food. The origin of this fire is unknown.

Ohly less destructive than the above, was a fire, or rather a series of fires, on the S. P. Thompson and Kent lands, in Union tp., Monday. More than 300 acres were burned over, and 150 tons of hay destroyed. Many acres of fine land are likely to be practically ruined before the fire stops. A large part of the burned hay was the joint property of Emery Garriott and S. P. Thompson. James Babcock, manager of the Thompson ranch, got surrounded by fire, while plowing to arrest its progress, and had a narrow escape, and his horses were badly burned. These fires were started by locomotives.

When Cal Porter gets back from the encampment and looks for his farm northwest of town, he may find it and he may find only a hole where it used to be. In fact, his farm is on fire. At present the fire is confined to two or three acres of marsh land, and is not likely to extend further. The marsh will burn until it rains, probably. A fire at Will Daugherty’s place southeast of town, last Friday, burn - ed 8 or 10 tons of hay, some fences* hay ladders and slides, etc. It narrowly missed taking the buildings. The people attribute the fire to some careless fellow emptying a pipe, throwing a cigar stub or a lighted match by the roadside. People in the vicinity of Wheatfield are having great trouble with fires in the woods and fields. Last Sunday, for instance, a fire west of the town of Wheatfield, burned over 200 tons of hay; the property of S. D. Clark, A. Halleck, and Grube Brothers.

Wils Porter came down from Chicago Monday night, and looking only on the east side of the railroad track he counted 50 burning haystacks, between Hammond and Surrey, and then got tired and gave up counting. A fire near Marlboro, last Friday, burned 200 bushels of oats on James Lefler’s place, also a stack of hay and several hundred rods of fences, in all quite a serious loss. John Randle, living near, also lost fences and [hay. It was only by the most strenuous exertions of a couple of gangs of threshers that Mr. Lefler’s house and barn were saved from distraction. It this dry weather continues there will be many fires and great damage without doubt. This damage will not always be confined to what is on the land, but in some cases is likely to include the land itself. There are many flue tracts of the best land in the countv which, if they should be burned over now, the fire would extend to the soil itself, and the land be virtually ruined. The September term of the Com - missioners’ court is in session this week. Till! business so far on re - cord, relates mostly to claims, and roads and bridges. Geo. A. Sttockfadden, of Rensselaer and J. F. Ellis, of Remington, were granted saloon licenses.