The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1908-09-11
FIRE DESTROYS
CITY OF CHISHOLM
FOREST FIRES SWEEP THE MES
SABE, RANGE WITH DIRE
Full EFFECT.
The Little City of Chisholm Was
Completely Destroyed, Only One
Building Left Standing. 5000
Are Homeless.

/ Are Homeless.
Hibbing, Mimi, Sept. Forest
fires which for three days have men,
aced this district swept down upon
| Chisholm, five miles from here late
Saturday and before midnight the
town was completely wiped out and
! its 5000 inhabitants rendered home
less. A shift in the wind saved Hib-
bling from destruction and swept the
fire toward Virginia fifteen miles dis
tant.
People have been pouring into Hib-
bling by the hundreds seeking safety
and shelter.
The fire ofttimes leaped as much
as hundred feet. Brands from the
burning trees were hurled consider
able distance and wherever tn ey hit
another fire was started. The whole
length of the main street was on fire
before the first houses caught had
been reduced to ashes.
A special train was run from CHS
holm to Hibbing packed with people
who have lost their homes and prop
ty.
Hibbing threw open all public halls
and buildings and homes were OPP
ened to accommodate refugees.
Company NJ, Third infantry of the
national guard was ordered from
Hibbing to the scene to guard prop
erty. Vandals began to loot early
and many arrests were made.
Governor Johnson issued a call ask
ing for immediate relief and appoint
ed Hon. D. R. Haven, A. G. Weiss,
Mile Bunnell, A. L. Ordean, J. L.
Washburn and III. M. Peyton of Du-
luth and Martin Hughes of Hibbing
a committee to receive and disburse
contributions.
A city of tents will shelter the ex-
lied people temporarily.
Hibbing, Mimi, Sept. S.-The Mis-
sabe range is again threatened with
the fire horror which swept away
Chisholm and wiped out thousands of
acres of standing timber. After a
day of quiet, the flames which died
down were famed into renewed fury
again last night and are sweeping on
toward Hibbing, Buhl and Nashwauk
from the south. Fire Chief O'Connor
admits that the danger here is real,
and citizens are showing great anxi-
ETY..
The town of Snowfall, 100 inhabi-
tants, was completely destroyed yes
terday afternoon by fire that came
upon it suddenly. The people had no
opportunity to fight the flames and
fled in terror to the nearest locations.
SNOWFALL is about two miles from
Nashwauk.
Brooklyn, a small suburb of Hib-
bling is threatened by fire, and if this
portion of the town catches, the rest
is doomed. Bull and Nashwauk
which were threatened with destruct-
ion Saturday are again in danger and
the flames are creeping slowly to-
ward them. The citizens are fighting
the on-rushing flames desperately.
Aurora is entirely surrounded by
forest fires and citizens are fighting
the flames. The town is believed to
to be safe unless strong wind should
rise from the north or south.
Mitchell, a small town about one
mile southeast of Hibbing, was threat
ened with destruction all day yester-
day and was saved only by heroic eff
forts of the inhabitants and the en-
ployes of the Duluth, Missabe &
Northern railway, whose round house
is situated there. Several hundred
men are still guarding the place.
The pine timber which surrounds
Mitchell has been almost entirely
consumed.
Between Nashwauk and Hibbing, a
region twenty-five miles long, the for
ests are one continuous front of fire.
From Hibbing it is an appalling
sight and big clouds of smoke have
been pouring over the threatened
city all day, hiding the sun as though
the sky was overcast with dark rain
clouds.
The militia arrested eleven more
looters yesterday making a total of
ninety who are in custody of police.
They will be bound over to the grand
jury.
Small fires are blazing north of
Virginia, but that town is not en-
dangered. Hibbing people are watch
ing the progress of the fire to the
south with anxious eyes.
Hibbing, Mimi, Sept. Sit was
persistantly rumored yesterday that
a man had been shot during the CHS
holm fire for looting the burning
structures. The police and the CHS
holm authorities deny any know
ledge of the affair.
At $3.50 o'clock last night Proctor,
20 miles south of Hibbing, notified
the office here that strong south
wind was rising there.