Warren sheaf., 1894-09-13
Editorial Correspondence.
Duluth. MINI Sent

AuASVlAuA OVAAVOpVuuVuVVl
Duluth, Minn., Sept. 8. "a,
We left Warren on the 5th inst fu,
st. Paul to join the annual excursion
OF the State Editorial associntion tc
Buffalo, N. T., via Duluth and tbt
Great Lakes. The evening OF the 6tl
we were present at The superfine ban
quet given to the editors by the citi
zens OF St. Paul at Hotel RYAN
That it was swell affair goes with.
out saying. There were so MANY
courses served that we lost track O,
them, neither could we count the ar
my OF colored gentlemen who waited
at the tables. We were in the same
predicament as the farmer who at
tempted to count his pigs. He
counted ten OF them, but one little
one ran so fast that he hadn't time
to count them. There must have
been so at least. Ii ever there were
lot OF stuffed editors anywhere, it
was at the Ryan that night. We al
most busted. After being stuffed full
IN this manner by everything good
to eat and drink, the "feast of reason
and the flow of soul" commenced,
and we were stuffed chock full of DO
litical wisdom. EX-Gov. Merriam
presided at the banquet and he intro
duced the eloquent Congressman
Dolliver, OF Iowa, who in q fine speech
inspired the editors with a great deal
OF Republican enthusiasm. Senator
Davis was present and made an elo-
quent address. Speeches were also
made by Congressman Tawney, OF
Winona, Towne, OF Duluth, and sever
al Others. 1t isn't always that coun-
try editors have such feast, and
they are grateful to st. Paul for this
royal entertainment. What polite
al significance, ii any, is to be at
tached to this gathering, we do not
know, but senator Washburn was
conspicuous by his absence.
At Los p. NJ. on Friday we board
ed the Eastern Minnesota train
bound for Duluth. Our party con-
sists OF over a hundred editors and
members OF their families. On the
way to Duluth the editorial train
passed through the burnt district at
Hinckley and surroundings, where
we were given an opportunity OF
viewing the results OF one of the
greatest forest fires recorded in the
history of this country For about
70 miles our train sped through a
forest country that had been laid
waste by the terrible fire. No pen
can describe the black dreary picture
which the burnt district presents to |
the view. 1t is desolation complete,
and might be likened to a suburb of
Hades. Charred stumps, and black |
ened trunks of trees, some standing
but most OF them fallen and partly
consumed cover hundreds of thou
sands oi acres. We had no idea be-
fore that fire could be so destruct-
i've, but it is no mystery to us now
that so many lives were lost. mol
living thing could survive such a fire,
if caught in it, and in all this region
there is no sound now OF q bird or
wild beast. Eyen now the whole re-
gion is enveloped in smoke and nu-
merous fires were still burning, espe-
clally in the swamps along the way.
Large holes had been made in the
ground adjacnnt to the track from
the burning ont of dry stumps, and
many railway ties and bridges were
burned. When We reached Pokegu-
ma not Il vesti%r of the town was to
be seen, and the people who had been
saved from the awful calamity were
living in box cars standing on Il side
track. Many supplies were unload
ed from our train for these people.
At Hinckley had occurred the great
est destruction OF human lives and
property. This was IL town some
what larger than Warren, at the
Junction OF two railroads. Only the
round house and two Or three other
buildings were lett standing Many
tents had been erected for the unfor-
tunate people who escaped with their
lives, and many held forth in box
and passenger ears. Over a hundred
cars OF wheat were burned at this
point, and it was q sad sight to see
the ruins OF these cars. Further on
we passed Skunk lake where SO many
were saved. 1t is q small mud hole
close to the track.
Bnt now our boat is in and I have
NJ time to write more.
Adieu Tor this time,
j. p MATTSON