Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-07
JOHNSON MAKES
URGENT APPEAL
FOR PUBLIC AID
MINNESOTA GOVERNOR BEGS
RELIEF FOR NEEDY
LEFT HOMELESS
AND HUNGRY BY FIRE
Men Watch Great Fortunes Turn to
Ashes, and Once Rich Now
Look for Help and
Shelter
BY Associated Press

BY Associated Press
~ I. PAUL, Sept. 6.-GOvernor johnson to-
day issued the following proclamation:
NJ "a great disaster has come to north
eastern Minnesota. Chisholm, of
the splendid cities of tire Mesaba Range, has
been totally destroyed 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 6OOO people are
suddenly rendered homeless, the property
loss amounting to millions of dollars.
early reports indicate also the total de-
struction of the mining towns of Shenan-
doah Hartley and Pillsbufy.
"The total number of people rendered
homeless will reach and may exceed 1900
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 appeal to the generos-
ity of the people Of Minnesota for liberal
aid, and owing to the great necessity, ask
that this assistance be as complete as pos
sibIe.
"To this end hereby appoint L. ID.
Haven, A. c. Weiss, Mile Bunnell, A. L.
Ordean, A. j. Washburn and H. M. Priton
of Duluth and Martin H. Geish of Hibbng
general committee to receive and disburse
contributions for the relief of the sufferers.
81 also appoint the mayors of several
cities and villages Of the state special
commissioners to take charge of the work
of organization In their respective munich
palities and to proceed Immediately, that
the suffering of the afflicted be minimized.
| JOHN A. JOHNSON, Governor"
| 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 Douglas county,
! Wisconsin, the many forest fires which
have been raging in these districts were
checked today, and If the wind does
not spring up again 1t is not likely that
further damage will be done.
The strong wind which had driven
the flames before it in many timbered
and agricultural districts subsidized this
morning and the thousands of home
less people were given a chance to take
stock of their belongings and to pre-
pare to replace the many burned farms
and settlements and the once flourish
ing town of Chisholm, sixty-five miles
north of Duluth.
TWO Towns Saved
The subsiding fire enabled the in
habitants 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 cit
izens prevented the flames from sweep
| ing over the village.
| The town was entirely surrounded
| by a wall of fire, and it's escape from
| obliteration- was remarkable.
| There is little, timber adjacent to
Buhl, and although forest firest COM
pletely surrounded the village, the 600
! inhabitants had only to extinguish the
incipient blazes started by falling
brands to protect the village.
Nashwauk is twenty-five miles south
Continued on Page Two)