The Penn's Grove record., 1908-09-11
FOREST FIRES STOP;
LOSS IS S3,750,O00
Citizens and Miners Save Bull
and kashWauk, MINI.
THOUSANDS IN DEs1If67loA
Governor johnson Appeals For Aid
and Appoints Relief Committees
Mayors to Organize the Work
Ruin and DesoIation.

Duluth; MINI. - After destroying
the town of Chisholm; on the Mesaba
range, and burning over thousands of
acres in st. Louis, Carleton and Itasca
counties in Minnesota, and in Doug
las County, Wisconsin, the forest fires
which have been raging in these re-
gions were checked.
The subsiding of the wind enabled
the inhabitants of Bull and Nash
wauk to save those towns. Several
buildings at the edge of Nashwauk
were burned, but by working all night
1000 miners and citizens prevented
the flames from sweeping over the
village. The town was surrounded
by a wall of fire and it's escape from
obliteration vas remarkable. There
is little timber adjacent to Bull, and
although forest fires surrounded the
village, the 600 inhabitants had only
to extinguish the ~incipient blazes
started by falling brands to protect
the village.
Chisholm presents a scene of ruin
and ~desolation. Blackened and smok-
ing piles of charred wood, little heaps
of gray ashes stirred by the ftful
breeZes, scorched gaunt skeletons Of
brick and mortar, all canopied with
a dense pail of smoke, comprise what
was one of the most fourishing towns
on the great Mesaba Iron Range. The
only remaining buildings are the new
$125,000 High School, a grade school,
a Catholic church, the Italian church
and a dozen dwellings in the south
ernmost part of town.
Four thousand are homeless in
Chisholm alone. Conservative esti-
mates of the damage by the forest
fires in Northern Minnesota and in
the northwestern portion of Wiscon-
sin place the total at $%3,7o0,00O.
Hibbing, five miles west of CHS
holm, afforded accommodations to
about 1000 refugees from Chisholm.
The Duluth, Mesaba and Northern
Railroad started a car of tents from
Duluth for Hibbing on receipt of a
message from Mayor Weirick. Food
stuffs will not be needed as the mer-
chants have large supplies, and an
order from Duluth has been placed
for what is desired.
Governors Proclamation.
st. Paul, Minn.-Governor John
son issued the following proclama-
ton:
"a great disaster has come to
Northeastern Minnesota. Chisholm,
one of the splendid cities of the Mes
aba range, has been totally destroyed
by a destructive forest fire, which
swept over a large portion of St.
Louis County. Every home and bus
mess house of that community is
burned, and 5000 people are suddenly
rendered homeless, the property loss
amounting to millions of dollars.
Early reports indicate also the total
destruction of the mining locations
of Shenando, Hartley and Pillsbury.
The total number of people rendered
homeless will reach $4,000, and vast
tracts of agricultural lands have also
been devastated.
This disaster is without parallel
in the history of Minnesota. and in
view of the appalling calamity l ap-
peal to the generosity of the people of
Minnesota for liberal aid, and, owing
to the great necessity, ask that this
assistance be as prompt as possible.
ITO this end l hereby appoint the
Hon. X. ID. Haven, A. Z. Weiss, Mile
Bunnell, A. L. Ordean, A. ]. Wash
burn and H. M. Peyton, of Duluth,
and Martin Hughes, of Hibbing, a
general committee to receive and dis
burse contributions for the relief of
the sufferers.
81 also appoint the mayors Of the
several cities and villages of the State
as special commissioners to take
charge of the work of organization in
their respective municipalities, and to
proceed Immediately, that the suffer
ing of the afflicted be minimiZed.
JOHN A. JOHNSON, Governor"