The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-09-08
HOMELESS PEOPLE Line
ALL AVENUES OF ESCAPE
Hundreds Ruined at Chisholm. Thought
That There Has Been Loss Of Lite.

licking UP every tree, stump ana
every vestige Of plant growth. ana
sending up q hurricane Of red hot
brands that fell upon the doomed
town.
At the hrst advent Of these flaming
couriers the citizens Of Chisholm went
forth to fight the flames. The dre
department vas not able to cover :
large territory, and although inter
mittent blazes started, ire brands
were quickly extinguished and ths
wall Of flames rolled onward toward
the town and the citizens soon real
iced that it's destruction was inevita~l
bic. So quickly did the fire communi-
cate to the outlying buildings that
the citizens didSnot have time to saYs
any Of their household goods 81. pAr
sona1 effects. The people had amps
time 70 escape with their lives, ana
soon roads leading fromS the towns
we're thronged with the fleeing popu-
lation IN wagons, On horses and on
foot. There are two roads from Htb-
btng 70 Chisholm. and the most direct
was n the path Of the IRE. necesagat--,
tating travel BY way Of the longer.
road. @es
Conveyances were at q premium,
a foreigner with . small wagon ana.
one horse offered 70 take. : woman MAJ,
and three small children to .Hibbinllx
for s25. A man overheard the CON
~versation, and. drawing . revolver,
he pointed Il u the mans! mead, and,
climbing into the RIG. compelled him
to drive the party over the IRE zone.
May Fisher. when the citizens began
to leave the burning town, refused 70
go with her companions. They were.
forced to nee for their lives and she
was left behind. She has not been
seen since.
Oscar La France, editor Of Tho
Chisholm Tribune, was IN his once
and above him the root was II flames.
before he was appraised Of his danger,
He was compelled to break ! window
to escape. Business men ran nome to
get their families. and many separa-
tions occurred, as they in turn ned
IxnSwM~A xAA A..~l~nn~ +nSuS~s.A Ef u
CONSERVATION reigned, but az the
road leading out Of the city was with
out the IRE cone. and the pail Of
smoke did not hang as heavily rs
over the burning town, recognition
was easier ana families were Boon re-
united.
The Great Northern, the only road
running into Chisholm, took l5 box
cars crowded with homeless people
to Hibbing this evening, where the
citizens are throwing open their
houses, and tents are being supplied
to refugees. who are entering the
city BY hundreds. s
The sheet Of flame OF the falling
and cracking forests toyed with the
western outskirts of Chisholm for
several minutes late in the afternoon,
and then, driven by q strong west
wind. swept acros the city. the build
ings falling and disappearing before
It like tender plants before the hot
blaze Of the simeon.
Whiting q few minutes every strue-
ture upon both sides Of Main street
was burning and the residence d.
trict was united. BY this time most
of the citizens had left the burning
town and stood in small groups to
the southwest and watched their
homes burn.
The cen was awe-inspinng. n
the late northern twilight the flames
seemed to leap up to the sky. which
was overcast with q red glow. Over
the town hung a great blanket of
smoke that seemed to creep down and
shield the burning city from the eyes
Of the hundreds Of fearful watchers
who were beating a slow retreat to
Hibbing.
Alone on q hill in the southern
portion of the town stands the new
nigh school, which was recently
erected at q cost Of $125,00o. Tonight
it is the solitary sentinel Of the ruin
and d%esolation spread before it. No
houses within several blocks Of tho
structure were to be seen.