CHIEF FIRE WARDEN. 15 



t 



of meadow and destroyed i8 hay stacks; damage, $500. The weather was clear 

 with heavy wind from the northwest. About forty persons assisted in extinguish- 

 ing the fire, which was done in two and one-half hours after it started. 



Same, January 8, igoo: 



On this date a fire, which originated on vacant land in section 23 at 10 o'clock 

 a. m. from freight locomotive going east on M. & St. L. R. R., destroyed 20 tons 

 of hay; damage, S60. It was extinguished in two hours after it started by twelve 

 persons with shovels, brooms and sacks. Weather dry and a strong southwest 

 wind blowing. 



J. J. McLeod, chairman, of the town of Mehurin, May 26th: 



On the 6th of May a fire burned over 350 or 600 acres; no damage. It was ex- 

 tinguished in six or eight hours by four persons by back-firing and making breaks, 

 our only mode of stopping prairie fires. The weather was dry and rather windy. 

 The fire started on section 7 in the town of Manfred and burned over sections 7 

 and 5 in that town. We have made every inquiry into the matter, but cannot 

 ascertain how the fire started. 



Same, October 4th: 



On the 3d of September a fire burned over 450 acres in the southeast part of the 

 town; no material damage done. The fire was extinguished in three hours after it 

 started, by the work of six persons. The weather was very windy. 



Ed. E. Thompson, chairman of the town of Manfred, June 6th: 



On the 6th of May a fire, which originated on section 7, burned over 500 acres 

 and destroyed only the grass growing on the land. Am unable to ascertain the 

 cause. The weather was clear with little wind. 



LINCOLN COUNTY. 



Ole Johnson, chairman of the town of Drammen, May 25th: 



April i6th a fire, from cause which I cannot ascertain, started early in the 

 morning along the road and burned over 600 acres on sections 24 and 25; no 

 damage. The weather was warm and windy. 



Same, December 30th: 



On the 2ist of November a fire on section 25 burned over 100 acres, destroying 

 a stack of hay of the value of $10. It was vacant land, and the fire was caused by 

 a person traveling on the road, but I have never been able to find out who it was. 

 The fire was whipped out in nine hours after it started. 



John Matz, chairman of the town of Royal, December 12th: 



Between i and 2 o'clock in the afternoon, October 30th, weather being windy, 

 a fire, originating from cause unknown, burned over 80 acres of vacant prairie and 

 brush land in section 28 and destroyed 20 tons of hay of the value of $60. Total 

 damage, $300. The weather was windy, and the fire was extinguished in four 

 hours after it started by thirteen persons using team and plow, water and wet rags 

 and sacks. 



