The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-09-25
Gagen and WoodbOrO, WiscOn-
sin, Wiped Out-Fears For
Safety of Refugees.
Rh|NtlANDfR HAS CLOSE CALL
Shift in Wind Probably Saved City
Fires Continue to Ravage Forests
in East.

Rhinelander, Wis, Sept. %. - The
towns of Gagen and Woodboro were
wiped out by forest fires early yesteI-
day. Both are prosperous lumber
towns on the 500 railroad, each hav-
ing about 1000 inhabitants. Grave
fears are entertained for the safety Of
the refugees of Woodboro. They sta t.
ed for Rhinelander, but have not
reached here. 1t is feared they NAV
have been hemmed in by the flames.
The fire started in the woods yes
terday morning and quickly reached
Gagen and Woodboro. Men, women
and children fought valiantly to saw
their homes, but without avail.
People Flee From Flames.
Burned out of their homes, the peo-
pie began fleeing from the fire which
grew more dangerous with each min
ute.
Women carrying children in their
arms and men and boys with picks on
their backs ran toward Rhinelander,
many falling PROSTATE in the heat,
only to be helped on by the stronger
refugees.
Nearly all of those burned out at
Gagen reached Rhinelander last
night and are being cared for. But
few of the Woodboro people are here,
; and it is o known what has become
of all of them. The fire is a fresh n
| and not a continuation of the fires
! which did so much damage last week.
Wind Saves R~hineiander.
When the blaze started the wind
was from the west and it was feared
Rhinelander, with it's homes for 1000
persons, was doomed also, but a
change in the direction of the wind
| probably has saved the city. The may
or and members Of the city council
got together when the danger seemed
! greatest and decided to ask Milwau-
| kee for aid. At that time it was be-
lieved nothing could save Rhinelanl-
err from h fire.
, Reports from the refugees who
| came to this city say nothing is left
CT Gagen.
Ask Governor for Militia.
Citizens have decided to ask Gov.
Davidson to order out the state mill
tia to assist in fighting the flames
which. because Of the dry condition
of the woods in his ne~ighborhood,
threaten to destroy the forests.
Hundreds of men have gone olt
from this city to fight the flames, but
| reports received from these who have
returned say they have made little
progress in their battle against the
fire.
Several lumber plants in the dis
trict have been burned and the fire
| means loss of employment to several
hundred men.
Boston. Sept. 21.-Smoke from the
| Northern New York has hung over
| New England for the last week, OBJ
securing the rays of the sun and
and threatening to rival the famous
yellow Days Of 1888" AS the e.
suit of the extraordinary conditions
shipping all along the New England
coast has been seriously hampered.
From the Canadian woods and the
forests of Maine down through the
Adirondack region to the Catskills
and beyond to the Pennsylvania lun-
\ bSl SSlo1 ilSo olC u liz Ill liz
forest mountain regions.
Wind Fans Flames.
~Johnstown, Pa, Sept. 22.-The for
est fires which have been raging IN
the vicinity of Ashtols. Somerset
county, for a week We're last night
much nearer the town. Hundreds of
men and boys are fighting the flames,
but are hindered by a wind which IS
blowing emhers into the village
Great tracts of standing timber have
been burned over and unless rains
come soon the devastation of that IN
tire region is certain.
Check Fires in Maine.
Augusta. Me-, Sept. 22.-Althoueh
forest fires continue in many sections
of Maine, the situation was much i'm
proved last night. BY taking advln-
tage of the light wind which prevailed
and concentrating their forces. the
fire fighters were able to hold the
flames In check and protect the build
ings of the threatened settlements.
Thousands of dollars worth of valua-
BILE woodland are still being destroy
ed, however.
Blazing in West Virginia.
Cumberland, Md, Sept. %. - Re-
ports are being received Of disastrous
forest fires in the vicinity of Thoms,
David, William and other points in
West Virginia, along the line of the
Western Maryland railroad. Water
h