We moved to Kansas from Indiana more than a year since, and
witnessed our first large prairie fire on the afternoon and evening
of February 9. We first noticed the reflection on the sky in the
southeast on the night of the 8th, and by the afternoon of the next
day the fire had come so near that we began to make preparations
to protect our property by burning a "fire guard" around the house,
etc. After that we had leisure to watch the progress of the fire,
and as it grew dark the grandeur of the sight increased. We mounted
a hill which commanded a view for miles in every direction, and
turn in whatever direction we would there was fire. It looked like
a grand torch-light procession of men in single file marching and
countermarching, forming circles, squares, and all conceivable
shapes, ever widening their circuit, until there were miles on
miles of lines of flame. The wind freshened about 9 P.M., and then
the sight was grand beyond my powers to describe. No doubt much
damage to property was done. Many families in this vicinity have
related to us damage inflicted by former prairie fires.