As a result of the forest fires in Washington, Idaho and western Montana, Mandan has this week been through one of the most peculiar experiences in its history, a dense pall of smoke obscuring the sun, making the darkness so dense that artificial light was necessary.

The cloud of smoke bore down on this section last Sunday morning and at first it was thought it came from prairie fires, for at times veritable hot blasts as from a furnace swept over the city. As the smoke increased in density it became apparent that the cause was something more serious than a prairie fire, though at first it was scarce believeable [sic] that the air a thousand or more miles from the forest fires could be so filled with smoke. Monday mrning when it should have been daylight at five o'clock it was almost as dark as midnight. Those who were up at from five to six o'clock witnessed the strangest phenomenon. The whole sky was filled with a blood red light for nearly two hours. Then the smoke became more dense and many a man drowsily opened his eyes at seven to drop off to sleep again waiting for daylight which did not come, only to get down to their work several hours late. All Monday morning it was so dark that one could not see to read a newspaper on the streets at ten o'clock in the morning. At times the smoke would clear a little but it was well into the afternoon before the light improved, and at no time during the day could work be carried on indoors without lights.

By Tuesday conditions had improved somewhat though the sun was obscured and the day reminded one of the London fogs we read about.