The Superior Express -

With the country sides being so dry from the lack of moisture, and the high winds of last week, several severe fires swept across the farmlands for miles. Some of these terrible fires were local and as some of the farmsteads and homes were being evacuated and animals moved, many brave firemen were rushing for hours trying to put the moving fire out. These firemen, and maybe I should add firewomen, were not paid professional fire fighters . They were volunteers.

Those volunteers left their jobs, homes, meetings and businesses to help where needed. Farmers came to give of their farm machinery and time to work the ground trying to get the fire contained. Other volunteers helped transport water, food and needed supplies as the fire fighters fought the fast moving fire, thanks to the 50 to 60 mph winds. Everything was destroyed along the fire’s path, fences, hay bales, posts and buildings.

Finally the fire was under control, but the hot spots still had to be watched and sometimes watched all night, only to have it fire up again. Without a moment of rest, the fire fighters were at work as it ignited once again.Then the news was heard the fires were out. Thankfully, as far as I know, no person was hurt in these local fires, and losses were at a minimum.

As scary as these recent fires were, it made me think about the early days on the Jewell County prairie when the early settlers were faced with the terrorizing prairie fires. When these prairie fires came, there were no volunteer firemen and no modern day fire trucks to help the farmer save his house, barn, livestock and crops. A Jewell County story is told about those pioneer fires with most starting as a bolt of lightning hit the ground. Usually seven months out of the year, the open prairie was hazardous because of this danger. When a settler arrived in the county, one of the first duties he did was plow several furrows a few hundred feet from the soddy or dugout so the grass, livestock, crops and soddy or dugout within the boundaries would be safe from the fires if they came their way. When the prairie grass became dry, that was when the flames would flare up and travel about as fast as a horse could run.

In the book, What Price White Rock, it tells that a April 1880 fire that destroyed the corn, hay, stables, sheds, stockyards and a stallion belonging to Isaac Vandeventer, northeast of Burr Oak. On the same day a fire started in White Mound Township, spreading with what was described as lightning rapidity, sweeping everything before it. Among it’s victims were William and Nelson Frost, whose loss amounted to several hundred dollars, and a Mr. Smith who lost everything but his house and stock. T.A. Noble lost his corn and a Mr. Shackleton lost his new granary, all his corn, wheat, oats and a lot of feed. Near Northbranch that same day, a fire from the northwest swept every thing in its path. The wind was blowing terrifically and fireguards, hedgerows and even plowed fields, 70 or 80 rods wide, did little or nothing toward checking the flames. Many losses were reported including corn crops, stables and hay of the many homesteaders in the area. Some of the sufferers included A.A. Davis, Wm. Elgin, Isaac George, Calvin Russell, L. Bowles, Benny Cox, John Bartlett, M. Tucker, Kinley, A.E. Parsons, Edwards Garner, Gilbert Flynn, Leisure and Hamilton. John Parsons lost his house and everything in it, besides his corn, hay, stable and horse. Kinney lost 17 head of hogs, Mrs. Short lost all of her hogs, hay, corn, a stable and her house. Fisher lost his stable, hay, corn, and harvester, Urab lost his house and furniture, corn and hay. Others reporting great losses were Charles Smith, M.C. Belt, Dailey, and J.W. Oglevie.

After the railroad came prairie fires were not uncommon. When the grass was dry, it could easily be ignited by sparks from the locomotive. One such fire destroyed much property of N.E. Myerly, southwest of Burr Oak. It came close to burning his house down. In 1878 a fire was started north of Holmwood Township, and it swept fast into Harrison Township where it burned G.S. Hill’s grain stacks, his dugout and its furnishings.

Back in the pioneer days, as well as today, it’s the same. Fire destroys everything in its path.