The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-06-20
Hundreds Of People From the Burned
Town or Virginia, on the Mesaba,
Arrive at Duluth.
They Are Homeless and For the Most
Part Penniless, Having Saved
Only Their Clothing.
Numerous Fatalities Reported, But
None Verified Mountain Iron
Not Badly Damaged.

DULUTH, Minr., June 20.-The frst
train bearing refugees who escaped
from the fire in the mining town of
Virginia, in all about $50 people, mostly
women aIG children, arrived in Duluth
at 1880 a. m, and the wearied, hungry
passengers hurried from the coaches to
the baggage rooms, where elaborate
lunches were spread. OF all the crowd
the greater portion were penniless and
dependent absolutely upon what char
ity might be offered.
Few Saved Anything
beyond the most meager effects, and
for the whole train load there was but
single trunk. Among the first few
who alighted from the train were two
tired looking women, each with baby
on her arm, and the entire absence OF
other belongings told the story Of o
mothers love- There was another
family, mother, father and one child.
Between them they had saved but one
thlng, paDys picture.
Ample preparations had been made
to care for the hungry people. The
crowd could not stop to talk, even the
little they had saved being, in many
cases, hurriedly thrust aside. 1t was q
most pathetic sight. Sandwiches, coffee,
anything to eat disappeared faster than
it could be supplied. They had had lit.
tie or nothing to eat during the day.
A Graphic Description.
A most graphic description of the FIRE
at Virginia was given by James Nc
Carthy. an actor who lad been playing
at the Star theatre. He was accompan
led by his wife and little child.
The fire had been burning about
Virginia for several days" he said
..but no one else seemed 10 worry, st
we did not. Saturday night we were
called cut to fight fre, but 1t was easily
gotten under control. Sunday morn
ing it was worse and the town was al
most surrounded by fire. About
o'clock the wind, which had been risinf
all morning. began to blow a perfec
gale, and houses on the edge OF tn,
town began to burn. People went mad
They attempted at frst to save every
thing, and began moving furniture
Then they tried to save lighter articles
but as the fire grew fiercer they wer,
glad to save anything and escape will
their lives. The town
Burned Like Tinder.
The light, frame buildings were like q
much paper. The whole town was il
ruins in less than an hour. The terri
fed people gathered about the Mesabl
depot, where the officers of the roat
were doing everything for their safety
A train of ore cars were back into tn,
depot and the people loaded in. All tn,
way down we came through lane o
fire."
A Second Train or Refugees.
A second train bearing refugees from
the burned district arrived at noon
bearing nearly 200 people. Advice
from Virginia are to the effect that onl,
10 houses escaped the flames. Virgins
was village OF 3. 500 inhabitants. Iti
impossible at this time to secnre an es
timate of the loss. The city was jus
completing an elaborate electric plant
and this, too. is total loss. Mountain
Iron was not so badly damaged as a
first feared. So far as known only tn
Methodist church and a half dozel
houses were burned.
There are numerous fatalities an,
injuries reported at Mesaba, but n
deaths have as yet been verified. e
Kelly and Ida Vurth, song and dane
team which was playing at one of th
Merritt theaters, went back to tn
theater to recover their wardrobe
when they were cut Of from all mean
OF escape except by the lake, and it
feared that they were either burned O
drowned. A young woman, who's
name has not yet been learned, wen
back intolier burning house 10 get he
babe and probably perished with tn
infant, as they have not been seel
again.
A laborer named Murphy was 8
badly burned about the face and nee
that it was thought foolish to brin
him to this city, SO critical was hi
condition.
Lena Hobenstein, woman 20 year
of age, who was suffering from typhoi
fever, was brought here on stretcher
as was also middle-aged man suffer
ing from the same malady.
In WISCONSIN.
Great Damage and Loss Of Life b.