The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1908-09-11
FIRES DESTROY
CITY. $4,000
HOMELESS
WHOLE POPULATION OF CITY
FLEES TIDAL WAVE OF
FLAME.
Governor Issues Proclamation Call
ing for Help for Victims-Wholc
Villages Swept Away.

Duluth, Mimi, Sept, 5.-Thous-
ands of acres of agricultural lands
and millions of feet of timber were
laid waste, one town wiped out and
three more towns partially destroyed
several mining locations were burn
ed and at least ten thousand persons
are homeless as the result of forest
fires which swept through many dis
tricts in northern Wisconsin and
northern Minnesota this afternoon
and tonight.
Chisholm, Mimi, ninety miles
north OF Duluth, was completely
destroyed. The only building stand
ing is the new 900 high school,
The loss there alone is estimated at
$2,OO0,OOO.
.Nashwauk, Mimi, fifty miles
northwest of Duluth, is surrounded
and the outskirts of the town are
burning.
Buhl. Mimi. twelve miles east Of
Chisholm, is cut off by the fires that
are bearing down on the town.
Wrenschall, twenty miles north
west of Duluth faces wall of flames
that is sweeping toward the village
1t appears to be doomed.
Many small settlements in Doug
las county, Wisconsin,, have been
burned and forest fires are sweep
ing the northern part of the coun-
try. A fire at bayfield,, Wis, dam
aged buildings to the extent of $75,-
600.
One fatality is believed to have oc-
Cured May Fisher, a woman of
Chisholm, would not leave the city
and it Is believed she has perished.
Chisholm is mining town in the
central portion OF the Mesba iron
range, the greatest iron producing
area in the world.
Refugees poured into Hibbing to-
night until the population of the
place was almost doubled. To re-
lieve the congestion the Duluth, Mes
aba & Northern railway started a
special train from Hibbing to Du-
luth, crowded with homeless people.
Hundreds of farmers have been
| driven from Ineir homes by the
| flames. AS passage along the road
way is difficult owing to the dense
smoke and heat of the burning for
ests it is believed that many lives
have been lost.
Conveyances were at premium.
A foreigner, with a small wagon and
one horse offered to take a woman
and three small children to Hibbling
for $25. A man overheard the con-
versation and drawing revolver,
pointed it at the foreigners head
and, climbing into the rig, compelled
him to drive the party over the fire
zone.
Sunday Governor johnson issued
the following proclamation:
"A great disaster has come to
northeastern Minnesota. Chisholm
one of the splendid cities of the
Messaba range has been totally de.
stroyed by destructive forest fire
which swept over a large portion OF
St. Louis county. Every home and
business house of that community is
burned and $4,000 people are sud.
denly rendered homeless the property
loss amounting to millions of dol
lars. Early reports indicate also the
total destruction of the mining To-
cations of Shenando, Hartley and
Pillsbury The total number of peo
pie rendered homeless will reach
10000 and vast tracts of agriculture
lands also have been devastated
This disaster is without parable
in the history of the state Of Min
nesota, and in view of the appalling
calamity, / appeal to the generosity
of the people of Minnesota for lib
eral aid, and owing to the great ne
cessity, ask that this assistance bt
prompt as possible.
ITO this end hereby appoint Hon
R. D. Haven, A. c. Weiss, Mile Bun
nell, A. l.. Ordean, A. j. Washburl
and H. NJ. Payton, of Duluth, ant
Martin Hughes Of Hibbing a genera
committee for the relief of the suf
ferers.
II also appoint the mayors of th
, several cities and villages of tn
, state as special commissioners to tax
charge of the work of organization i
| their respective municipalities, an
: proceed Immediately that the suffer
r ing of the afflicted be minimized.