Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-07
A Chief and His Followers Perish in
the Flames.
PROVIDING FOR THE DESTITUTE
Farms to Be Given the Burned Out
Settlers.
TO START IN LIFE ANEW

CHICAGO. September IA special from
Pokegarna. Minn.. says: The bodies of
twenty-three Chippewa Indians, bucks,
squaws and pappooses, lie upon the baked
sands between here and Opstead, a small
settlement ON the western shores Of Lac
Mile Laos They are scattered over ten
miles of country. and will, in all prob
sbility, prove food for buzzards and wolves,
as the country where they died Is too far
from civilization for burial ceremonies.
Such is the story brought by a courier.
who. for three dayc and nights, has been
forcing his way through the tangled skein
Of charred logs. trunks and roots. He pass
ed through the Mile Laos reservation and
encountered many small blazes which are
destroying what the fiery cyclone of Satur-
day left.
The Indians left their reservation two
months ago and built a hunting lodge along
one of the forks of Shadridge creek. Chief
Waucouta was the big chief of the party,
and he perished with his follC Cwers. The
first body found by the courier vas that of
an infant barely a year old. Then came
those of two squaws and five children.
They had evidently turned west when the
flames swept the forest. A ride of a mile
brought him to pile of ashes. which mark
ed the site of the hunting camp. There was
one tepee, the shriveled raw-hide thongs
marking the place where 1t stood. Around
II were the ruins of a half dozen brentwood
bark shanties. and protruding from the
ashes were the fused barrels of rifles and
shotguns. Then for five miles the pathway
was lined with charred bodies. The courier
counted twenty-three.
NEGAUNEE, Mich, September 7.-Forest
fires have started on the north and east
side Of this city. The damage Is confined to
standing timber and farm crops. A strong
breeze is blowing. and the fire is spreading
rapidly.
Providing for the Refugees.
DULUTH, Minn.. September 7.-Ciov Nell
son, a member of the state commission, and
Mayor Eustis of Minneapolis arrived last
night, and held a meeting with the local
committeeman at the Spaulding. The mat
ter Of permanently providing for the ref
ugees was discussed. The owners of the
burned mills will be asked If they will re-
build. and II not 1t is designed to make an
agricultural country Of the burned ter
ritory.
Two representative, of the land depart
ment Of the st. Paul and Duluth road were
present, and offered to give farms free to
all heads Of families who do not now
own their farms. All heads of families win
be sent down as soon as possible, and will
be furnished with timber for temporary
homes. their families, in the meantime be-
ing provided for here or wherever they are
In order to ascertain what this and the
providing necessities during the winter
will cost a thorough census will at once
be made. The single men will be aided in
getting work elsewhere and 1t Is hoped
to have most of the orphans adopted by
worthy families.
The commissioners left for the scene of
the fire today. The relief headquarters reg
isters show ,2234 sufferers to be here %
of whom left here yesterday.
RAT PORTAGE. Ont, September THE
forest fires along the Sault rapids swept
with fury on both sides of Rainy river.
Millions Of feet of pine were destroyed.
All crops. buildings, horses and cattle are
gone. No loss of life occurred on the
American side. but the fire is still raging.
Hannaford was safe at last reports. Fort
Francis had a narrow escape. Twelve fam
flies at Grassy river road lost everything
and are in want. Rainy Lake City is SAFE