The Mena weekly star., 1908-09-10


 Several Mining Camps Burned-12,.
 900 People Homedess--Reiief Com
 mittees Appointed--No Loss of Life.
 Duluth. Minn., Sept. S.--After de-
 Duluth, Minn., Sept. 8,After de stroying the town of Chisholm, on ths 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 tim bered and agricultural districts sub sided Sunday morning and the. thou sands of homeless people were given chance to take stock of their be- longings and prepare to replace the many burned farms and settlements and the once flourishing town of Chis- holm, on the Mesaba range, 65 miles north of Duluth
 The subsiding fire enabled the in- habitants of Buhl and Nashwauk to 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 sur rounded by wall of fire and its es- cape from obliteration was remark able. 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 village. Nash wauk is % miles southwest of Chis- holm, and Buhl Is seven miles to the east.
 Chisholm presents scene of ruin and desolation. Blackened and smok- ing piles of charred wood. little heaps of gray ashes stirred by the fitful breeze. scorched gaunt skeletons of brick and mortar, all canopied with dense pail of smoke comprise what was one of the most fiourishing towns on the Mesaba Iron range. The only remaining buildings are the new $125.000 high school, the grade school. the Catholic church, the Italian church and dozen dwellings in the southernmost parts of the town which were saved by few heroic firefighters who stuck to their posts fin the face of the cyclonic onslaught of the flames and smoke.
 Hibbing. five miles west of Chis- holm. afforded accommodations to about LOGO refugees from Chisholm Saturday night, and 1t Is expected that 5000 will be given places to sleep Sunday night. The Duluth, Mesaba & Northern started a car of tents from Duluth for Hibbing Sunday af- ternoon on receipt of message from Mayor Wersk.
 A thousand tents can be used and by Monday night white city will have sprung up on the environs of Hibbing.
 St Paul, Minn., Sept. s---Gov. John son Sunday issued the following pro- clamation:
 "A great disaster has come to northeastern Minnesota. Chisholm. one of the splendid cities of the Mesa ba range. has been totally destroyed l by a destructive forest fire. which swept over large portion of St. Louis county. Every home and business house of that community is burned and 5000 people are suddenly rem | dered homeless, the property loss amounting to millions of dollars. Early reports indicate also the total destruction of the mining locations of Shenandoah, Hartley and Pillsbury. | The total number of people rendered homeless will reach 12.000, and vast tracts of agricultural lands have also been devastated
 This disaster is without parallel in i the history of Minnesota and in view \ of the appalling calamity appeal to I the generosity of the people of Min nesoia for liberal aid. and. owing to I tho great necessity. ask that this as sistance be as prompt as possible,
 gro this end I hereby appoint Hon. 1 R. D. Haven, A. c. Weiss, Mile Bun nell. A l.. Ordean. A. ! Washburn and H NJ. Peyton of Duluth and Mar tin H Geish of Hibbin. general com. mittee to receive and dlsburse con tributions for the relief of the snf 1 ferers.
 q 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 l their respective municipalities and to proceed immediately, that the suffer- ing of the afflicted be minimized.
 Double Drowning at Dubuque, Ia.
 Dubuque. la. Sept S-While bath ing in the Mississippi river Sunday. l Inhn An