St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-06-20
TOLD IN DETAIL.
The Loss and Suffering Not Yet
All Told-Accounts Are Meager.

The Loss and Suffering Not Yet
All Told-Accounts Are Meager.
DULUTH, Minn.. June 19.-The first
accurate news of the fires in the Mesaba
range was available tonight. The only
communication with the range towns
yesterday and today was over sim
gle wire and that working badly.
Press dispatches filed by tie special
correspondents who were sent with the
first relief train did not arrive until late
today, and then only little in advance
of the newspaper men. Accurate
news shows the usual eXaggeration
in the first reports, but the money
loss will be greater than estimated
Yesterday. The first stories re-
garding Mountain Iron and Biwablk
were untrue. At Biwabik only few
detached buildings were burned and
at Mountain Iron only SIX buildings. At
Virginia the situation is as serious
as reported. The entire business por
ton of the town is destroyed. A bout
thirty houses are standing and $40 were
burned. Merritt is nearly wiped
out, only sixteen buildings now remain
ing in the town. 1t was impossible to
reach Merritt today, as the woods are
still burning all about the village. 1t
was the only town the newspaper men
were not able to visit and see the
exact situation for themselves. The
condition of the sufferers at Vlr-
ginia is particularly unfortunate. Most
of them are without shelter, clothing is
scarce and food, despite the supplies
that have been sent from Duluth, is still
scanty. Everything possible is being
done for them, and railroads reaching
the range are carrying all supplies aud
provisions free. On the whole range
about $500 people are, for the time be
ing, entirely dependent on charity. In
large measure the women and children
have been brought to Duluth.
At citizens meeting today general
relief committee was appointed, and it
was decided not to appeal for outside
aid. Between $4,000 and $4,000 has
been subscribed for the work of relief,
and clothing and provisions are
coming in on every hand. The
city and county have each appropri-
ated $1,000 to aid in the work. 1t will
be put at the disposition of the relief
committee. Trouble is feared at Vir-
glnia from the character of the popu-
lace. AS in all mining towns, the men
are, many of them, hard characters,
and lawlesSneSs is anticipated. Police
Sergeant Sm0llett and a squad OF
officers have been sworn in as deputy
sheritfs and will be sent to Virginia
tomorrow morning. The total loss as
estimated tonight by those best qualified
to know is put at $1,000 The In
surance as nearly as it can be estimated
is about $500, ,00O Flies are burning all
along the range still and change of
wind will cause more damage,
but the danger is not imlni-
nent. The mining companies suffered
heavily. The camps and plants at the
following mines were either entirely OF
partially destroyed: Shaw, Commodore,
Franklin. Jones. Mesaba, Mountain,
Ohio, and New England. 1t is fairly
well established that no lives were lost
as the results of the fire. The stories
current last night cannot be confirmed,
and the reporters who were Oh the
range say that there are no authenti-
Gated losses of life. A man at Virginia
City was badly burned. but will live.