The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-11-29

'somber Appearance of the Burnt District.
. To one visiting the country along the

somber Appearance of the Burnt District.
To one visiting the country along the
river north Of Milaca, the appearance, !
since the great forest fires swept that
region, is a most striking contrast to
the wooded hills that greeted the eye
before that terrible devastation. The
black lines creep down to the very bor-
del, of the pretty little town OF Milaca,
then stretch away miles to the, north
ward, leaving track of desola-
ton that is of the most cherries
character. Blackened trunks of fallen
timber, with here and there a few
withered trees and bushes, still stand
ing, an endless display of dead embers
and ashes are the remains of what
were, but a few weeks since, close COW
erts for the deer, the rabbit, the wolf
and the partridge. On the hills, that
were overgroWn with luxuriant
weight Of fern, flowers, grasses, pop
lars, birch, small evergreens and
varieties of larger growths, hardly
enough was spared to tell the stranger
THAT he is not on the broad expanse of
a gloomy desert. The long barren
tract from the village, north and north
eastward up through the O'Neil brook
country seems to have experienced the
fiercest intensity of the flames. Away
loft in the distance, seemingly as far as
the range of vision extends, the black
ened earth alone is there, to recall the
burning hell of those times that
blanched the cheek, and caused the
stoutest heart to quail. Hundreds and
/ thousands of acres of land could be
broken without the expenditure of one
dollar, for the removal of logs, sticks,
roots or brush. The sturdy toiler
/ needs only to go with the plough to
! commence active operations for the
t opening up of a farm. AS the fiery
/ blast came after the growth for the
| season had reached its maturity, not a
blade of grass has come forth to re-
t lieve the monotony of the black carpet
that spreads away SO many miles in
every direction. The closely APP
I preaching winter, will soon cover the
&
/ lonely and forlorn looking hills with a
iaaat,tf of snow, changing their somber
and mournful shading to one of
brighter relief. Through the scarcely
sun-touched months of the long winter,
| when all nature is in waiting, appar-
emily gathering strength for the work
of spring, we may imagine the forces
at labor, down under the snow, getting
in readiness for a new awakening, a
new dress for these denuded hills.
| With the return of spring, new shoots
will put forth where root fibers re-
main, seeds will terminate and a. new
growth spring UP. Scanty perhaps the
/ first year, but the wonderful fertility
of the soil and disseminat ton of seeds,
each year will increase and spread the
/ plant life to all parts of the burned dis
trict. A few years, only, and beyond
the disappearance of the larger trees,
the effects of the destroying fire will
live only in the memory of those who
saw and felt it's terrible power. Where
desolation now reigns, farms with we'll
titled fields, and good buildings, or
groves Of new growth with intervening
verdure will attract the eye, and i'm
press on the mind of the observer, that
he stands in the center of the garden
of northern Minnesota.
On the return trip from a deer hunt
last week, the UNION reporter took the
time to visit the sanctum of Editor
Warner, of the Milaca Times. It was
publication day, but the force had got
ten the paper off early that the CHIEF
might take stroll through the little
patches of timber, scattered here AND
there, and gather in a few cartridges
THAT had been kept in cold storage
since the expiration Of the law. Later
\ reports received since coming home
lead us to believe that cold storage
game had disappeared and that Mr.
Editor bought half-dozen from the
Indians who are camped above the Big
Eddy.
VIM. Kaliher has chung to the barber
business in the Carew basement unit
i he has built up good trade. At frs
s it seemed like up hill work for the
young man, but tenacity Of purpose
and attention to business have
, triumphed, and he now has an estab
Ilished and paying trade. E. M. Chap
man has the other shop of the village