River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-09-10
ASKS AID FOR
FIRE SUFFERERS
GOV. JOHNSON MAKES APPEAL
FOR THE AFFLICTED.
MANY WITHOUT HOMES
Disaster Is Declared to Be the Great
est Which Has BefaIIen the
Mesaba Range Vast
Tracts Devastated.

Mesaba Range - Vast
Tracts Devastated.
| ST. Paul, Mimi, Sept. Gov. John
son issued a proclamation calling for
aid for the forest fire sufferers in
northeastern Minnesota. The number
| of homeless is given as 10000.
The proclamation follows: "a great
disaster has come to northeastern
Minnesota. Chisholm, one of the
splendid cities of the Mesaba range,
has been totally destroyed by de-
structive forest fire, which swept over
a large portion of ST. Louis county.
Every home and business house of
| that community is burned and 5000
people are suddenly rendered home
less, the property loss amounting to
millions of dollars. Early reports in
dictate also the total destruction of the
mining locations of Shenando, Hart
ley and Pillsbury. The total number
of people rendered homeless will reach
10000, 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 1 appeal to
the generosity of the people of Mime
sofa for liberal aid, and, owing to the
great necessity, ask that this assist
ance be as prompt as possible.
ITO this end, l hereby appoint Hon.
r. D. Haven, A. G. Weiss, Mile Bun
nell, A. l.. Ordean, A. J. Washburn and
H. M Peyton of Duluth and Martin
Hughes of Hibbing, a general commit
tee to receive and disburse contribu-
tons for the relief of the sufferers.
II 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"
Damage Is Enormous.
Duluth, Mimi, Sept. 6.-After de-
stroying the town of Chisholm on the
Mesaba range, and burning over thou
sands of acres in st. Louis, Carleton
and Itasca counties in Minnesota, and
the northern portion of Douglass
county, Wisconsin, the many forest
fires which have been raging in these
districts were checked Sunday, and If
the wind does not spring up again it
is not likely that further damage will
be great.
The strong wind which had driven
the flames before it. in many timbered
and agricultural districts subsidized
Sunday morning.
The subsiding of the wind enabled
the inhabitants Of Bull and Nashwauk
to save those towns. Several buildings
at the edge of Nashwauk were burned,
but by valiant all-night work the 1000
miners and citizens prevented the
flames from sweeping over the village.
The town was entirely surrounded by
wall of fire and it's escape from oblit-
Grafton was remarkable. There is little
timber adjacent to Buhl and although
forest fires completely surrounded the
village the 600 inhabitants had only to
eXtinguish the incipient blazes started
by falling brands to protect the vii
lage. Nashwauk is 25 miles southwest
of Chisholm and Bull is seven miles
TO the east.
Relief for Sufferers.
Hibbing, five miles west of CHS
holm, afforded accommodations to
about 1000 refugees from Chisholm.
The Duluth, Mesaba & Northern start
ed a car of tents from Duluth for Hib-
bling Sunday afternoon on receipt of a
message from Mayor Weirick. w. A.
McGonagle, vice-president and general
manager of the road, said he would
rush tents and supplies, if necessary,
to Hibbing as fast as needed. A thou
sand tents can be used and soon a
white city will have sprung up on the
environs of Hibbins. Foodstuffs will
not be needed, as the merchants have
large supplies and an order from Du-
| luth has been placed for what is de-
sired. Telephone communication with
the few remaining buildings in CHS
holm will be established shortly.
The Hibbing relief committee has
served half hundred meal tickets on
Hibbing restaurants and is prepared to
house anyone. Only 1000 were given
| beds in private homes and hotels Sat
urday night, as most of Chisholm's
population was too excited to seek a
place to rest.
There are many destitute persons,
especially among the mining class.
Many men who were rated as well-to-
do are without funds to buy a meal.
In most instances those misfortunes
are only temporary, as many will soon
receive their insurance money. How
ever, some merchants lost everything
they had except the clothes on their
backs and there will be much suffer
| ing and financial embarrassment.
Rain Badly Needed.
st. Paul, Mimi, Sept. IA special
to the Pioneer from Houghton, Mich,
says: With the dying down of the
wind forest fires that have ragged in
this vicinity for several days have al
most burned out and for the time
being danger is passed Rain, how
ever, is badly needed, and unless it is
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