FLAMES ON A FARM.

Lars Nelson's Stable, Stock, Hay and Grain Consumed.

Last Sunday at about four in the afternoon dense volumes of smoke arising north of the depot, a mile or so from town, started several citizens on a hurried tour of investigation, and some returned with the intelligence of a big fire at Lars Nelson's. President Berge of the Council and [Foreman] Hughes of the Fire Company hurriedly mustered in a fire brigade and limbered up the village hand fire engine. Attached to a wagon drawn by Douglas Pulver's team, the engine, hose and a barrel of water were jerked along the road, up the narrow ravine to the scene of conflagration. The boys took along enough muscle to down a volcano, but when they found that their engine could only get water from a dripping spring, their enthusiasm wilted and all hopes of arresting the flames were abandoned. There was no agency at hand to interrupt the conflagration, and the record of loss was within the space of a few minutes made up as follows: Stable, two good horses, spring colt, two large stacks of barley, stacks from 16 acres of good oats, 13 hogs, two calves, 2 sets of harness, a plow and 100 tons of hay. A fine three-year-old colt in some way got out of the stable, but so badly burned from head to tail that mercy almost demands its death. The total loss is over $1000. No one can fail to sympathize with a man whose hard earnings are thus swept away. The origin of the fire has not yet been explained. No insurance.