New-York tribune., 1908-09-07
CHECK FOREST FIRES
Governor johnson Issues appeal for
Sufferers an Minnesota.

Duluth, Mimi, Sept. 6.-After destroying the
town of Chisholm the Mesaba Range, and
burning over thousands of acres in st. Louis,
Carleton and Itasca counties, in Minnesota. and
in Douglass County. Wisconsin. the many for
est fires which have been raging in these
gions were checked to-day. If the wind does
spring up again it is likely that fur
ther damage will result.
a strong wind which had driven the flames
before it in many timbered and agricultural
townships. subsided this morning, and the thou
sands of homeless people took stock of their
belongings and prepared to rebuild burned
farrnhouses and settlements.
The subsiding of the wind enabled the inhabi-
tants of Buhl and Nashwauk to save those
towns. Several buildings at the edge of Nash
wauk were burned, but by working all night
thousand 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 cblteration remarkable There
is little timber adjacent TO Buhl, and although
forest fires surrounded the village the six hum
dred inhapitants had only to extinguish the in
cipient blazes started by falling brands to pro-
tect the village. 4e--
Chisholm presents a scene of ruin and desola-
ton Backened and smoking piles of charred
wood, little heaps of gray ashes stirred by the
fitful breezes scorched gaunt skeletons of brick
VI
smoke comprise what one of the most
fiourshing towns on the great Mesaba Iron
Range The only remaining buildings are the
new S125OO0 high school, a grade school,
Catholic church. the Italian church and dozen
dwelling houses in the southern part of town.
These were saved by few heroic fire fighters,
who stuck to their posts in the face of the on
sIaught of flames and smoke.
The damage to real property is now estimated
at ST 100000, and that to personal property at
S75OO0O The insurance carried by Chisholm
merchants about 100000.
Hibbing, five miles west of Chisholm. afforded
accommodations to about one thousand refu-
gees from Chisholm last night and it is ex-
pected that three thousand will have places TO
sleep tonight The Duluth Mesaba & North
ern Railroad started a of tents from Du-
uth for Hibbing this afternoon on receipt OF
message from Mayor Weirick- Foodstuffs will
not be needed, as the merchants have large sup
plies and an order from Duluth has been placed
for what is desired.
There are many destitute persons. especially
among the miners. Many men are without
funds TO buy a meal to-day In most instances
these misfcrtunes are only temporary, as many
will soon receive their insurance money How
ever some merchants lost everything they had
excent their clothes on their backs and there
will he much suffering and financial embarrass-
ment
Governor Johnson issued the following procla-
nation at ST. Paul to-day:
great disaster has come to Northeastern
Minnesota. Chisholm, one of the spiendld clleS
of the Mesaba Range has been totally destroyed
by a destructive forest fire which swept over
large portion of ST Louis County Every nome
and business house of that community is burned
and six thousand people are suddenly rendered
homeless, the property loss amounting 10 mill
ions of dollars. Early reports indicate also the
fl,a ,ir1in
nando Hartley and Pillsbury The total number
of people rendered homeless Will reach tWeiVe
thousand and vast tracts OF asIicuI tui dl ldiuS
have also been devastated
This disaster is without parallel in the history
of Minnesota and in view of the appalling
calamity l appeal TO the generosity OF the people
of Minnesota for liberal aid. and owing the
great necessity, ask that this assistance De as
prompt as possible
To this end l hereby appoint the Hon. r. d.
Haven A c. Weiss Mile BunneH, A L. Ordean
A J. Washburn and II. NJ. Peyton, OF Duluth
and Martin Hughes, of Hibbing, a general com
mittee TO receive and dsburse contributions fer
the relief of the sufferers.
also appoint the mayors of the several cities
and villages of the state as special commission
ers to take charge of the work of organization
in their respective municipalities. and to proceed
Immediately. that the suffering OF the aihlcted
be minlrllZed
wrensbau a town of six hundred inhabitants.
tbfrty-nye miles northwest of Duluth. is still
threatened by fire and the entire population is
s,btine II The flames are within mile of
the city Small fires are burning all through
the thrty-iive mile district between Hfbbing
and Coleraine but little further damage is ex-
pected
No fatalities attended the conflagration at
Chisholm The ruined city Will be rebuilt at
once Chisholm is under military rule Com
pany M of the I'd Regiment, from Hibhlns' is
guarding the ruins from looters.
Several hundred settlers in the burned region
Four bn,I md
are homeless in Chisholm alone, Consei ~ative
estimates of the damage by the forest fires in
Northern Minnesota and in the northwestern
nortion of Wisconsin place the total at $S,7500O0
SANDY HOOK RoUTE-LABOR DAY
,r5,, ip addition ia rfcuiar Will b.