The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-06-28
AN AWFUL VISITATION.
Terrible Results of Forest Fires In
Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Refugees from tho Burning Districts Run a
Gauntlet OF Flame to Save Their
Lives-They Arrive at Duluth
Hungry and Penniless.

DULUTH, Mimi, June 20.-The first
train bearing the refugees from the
Range, carrying $50 people, mostly
women and children, arrived In Duluth
yesterday morning 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, dependent absolutely upon
what charity that might be offered.
Few had saved anything beyond the
most meager effects, and for the whole
train load there was but single trunk.
A most graphic description of the fire
at Virginia was given by James Nc
Carthy, an actor, who had been play
ing at the Star theater. ''The fire had
been burning about Virginia for sew.
eral days" he said, "but no one else
seemed to worry so we did not Sat-
urday night we were called out to
fight the fire, but it was easily gotten
under control. Sunday morning 1t
was worse and the town was almost
surrounded by fire.
about o'clock the wind, which had
been rising all the morning, began to
blow perfect gale and houses on the
edge of the town began to burn. Peo-
pie went mad. They attempted at first
to save everything and began moving
furniture. Then they tried to save
light articles, but as the fire grew
fiercer they were glad to save anything
and escape with their lives The town
burned like tinder The light frame
buildings were like 80 much paper.
The whole town was in ruins in less
than an hour. The terrified people
gathered about the Missabe depot,
where the officers of the road were do
ing everything for their safety. A
train of ore cars was backed into the
depot and the people loaded in. All
the way down we came through lane
of fire."
A second train bearing refugees from
the burned district arrived here at
noon bearing nearly two hundred peo-
pie. Adviees from Virginia are to the
effect that only ten houses escaped the
flames. Virginia was q village of $500
people with all that goes to make a
thriving town. The city was just com
pleting an elaborate electric light plant
and this too, is total loss. Mountain
Iron was not so badly damaged as at
first feared. So far as reported only
the Methodist church and half dozen
houses were burned, Merrittand Mes
ania are completely cleaned out, not a
house remaining.
The total loss as estimated last night
by those best qualified to know, is put
at 81, 800, 900. The insurance as nearly
as it oan be estimated is about $500, 900.
Fires are burning all along the range
still and change of wind will cause
more damage, but the danger is not i'm.
minent. The mining camps suffered
heavily. The camps and plants at the
following mines were either entirely OF
partially destroyed: Shaw, Commo.
dore, Franklin, Jones, Mesaba, Noun
tain, Ohio and New England.
It is fairly well established now that
no lives were lost as the result of the
fires.
The bridge on the Wisconsin Central
at Minersville, near High bridge, is
burned and all trains are running
around by the way of Ironwood, on
the Mellen branch and the Lake Shore.
Even, Mich, was also swept by fire and
another bridge burned, so that trains
have to be transferred. At White River
over 1000 acres of standing pine are
ablaze. The special train returned
from Iron River yesterday noon and re.
ported the fire under control there and
the loss will not exceed $4,000. The
fire near Washburn is approaching
rabidly and they have sent for help.