Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-06-22
BATHED In FLAMES.
A Minnesota Mining Region De-
vastated by Fire.
ONE TOWN ENTIRELY DESTROYED.
Three Others Thought to Have Been De-
stroyed -The Flames Carrying Every
thing-HeIp Urgently Re-
quested.

DULUTH, Mimi, June i9--The result
of a year of enterprise on the Masab:,
range has been wiped out in a single
day. Advices received to-day indica ted
that the towns OF Virginia and Mount
ain Iron had been destroyed. and that
Blwabiak was partially. If not entire
~, wiped out. 1t is impossible to esti-
mate the loss. but it will approximate
81, 900, 900, and several thousand people
are homeless.
For three weeks the range has been
in danger. Forest fires have been burn
ing on all sides of the new mining
towns. and only by the greatest effort
has the disaster been so long averted.
The towns of the Mesaba lie in
nearly straight line along the range
and cover a distance of some twenty
five miles. The towns are Mckinley,
Mesaba, bialS, Virginia and Mount
ain Iron, with an aggregate population
OF about 5000. The most important is
Virginia and then Riwabiak with zoos.
Mountain Iron has population of
about 500 and Mckinley 200.
On Saturday the first news was re-
ceived which indicated any serious dan
ger. Up to this time the range people
had fought the fire and had kept the
outside world for fear their prospects
might be injured.
On Saturday evening news was re-
ceived that the fire was becoming Sc
rious. Yesterday morning 4 strong
wind blew up and the greater part of
the range was doomed The first news
came from General Manager Philpin,
who telegraphed at o'clock to Presi-
dent Merritt, of the road: ''Men. women
and children loaded on ore cars ready
to leave For Gods sake send us aid
At nearly the same time messages
were received from the other range
towns The operator at Mountain Iron
telegraphed that the town was burn
ing end the Duluth 65 Iron Range oper-
at Biwabiak wired that Goods re-
moved from depot. Good bye" Since
that time the wires to this town have
been down. The Mesaba officials state
that their advices are that Biwabiak
has been saved, but the indications are
that the village has shared the fate of
Virginia.
At 6:15 p IN. Mr.. Phildin telegraphed:
1.-THE whole town of Virginia, includ-
ing the freight house, is burned. We
are bringing women and children here
and two engines trying to get cars out.
Tell Mr.. Fisher, of the Duluth & Win
nepeg. to be prepared to let us send
women and children to Duluth by
special"
A later message stated that of the
whole town only three houses were left
standing.
In Duluth the news was followed by
immediate preparation to care for the
hundreds of homeless people. A spe-
cial train was ordered and a carload of
provisions was secured. At nine o'clock
the train was ready. It will reach the
range about midnight.
Virginia losers were generally in
sured, the Sun, of sIIondon, carrying
the greater portion of the risks. At
Mountrin Iron there was no insurance,
as the companies Cancelled all their
policies some days ago.
The last advices are contradictory.
There is no question as to Virginia. but
it is said that considerab BILE portion of
Mountain Iron is safe. Mesa ba, now
nearly deserted, is burned. There are
about twenty houses there. But little
can be learned Of Mckinley. 1t has
probably escaped. The fire area is said
to be twenty-five by three miles and
spreading rapidly.