Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-07
One Town Destroyed and
Many Counties Burned.
A Thousand Miners and Gill;
zens Fight 10 Save Towns.
II Wind Does Not Frsshen No Fur.
thsr Damage Expected.

Duluth Mimi, Sept 6.-After de-
stroying the town of Chisholm, on the
Mesaba ridge and burning over thou
sands of acres in st. Louis, Carleton
and Itasca counties in Minnesota and
in Douglass county, Wis. the many
forest fires which have been raging in
these regions were checked today. II
the wind does not spring up again it
Is not likely that further damage will
result
The subsidng of the wind enabled
the inhabitants of Bull and Nashwauk
to save those towns Several buildings
at the edge of Nashwauk We're 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 land
its escape from obliteration was re-
markable. There is little timber ad-
jacent 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 fitfui
breeZes scorched gaunt skeletons Of
brick and mortar all canopied with q
dense pail of smoke comprise what
was one of the most hourishinE towns
on the great Mesaba range. The only
remaining buildings are the new $125.
000 High school, a Catholic church. the
Italian church and a dozen buildings
in the southernmost part of the town
These We're saved by a few heroic fire
fighters who stuck to their posts in
the face of the cyclonic onslaughter OF
the flames. The damage to real prop
crty is now estimated at $1.000.000 and
that to personal property at $750,000.
Hibbing, five miles west of CHS
holm afforded accommodation to about
1000 refugees from Chisholm last night
and it is expected that 5000 will have
places to sleep tonight. There are
many destitute persons. especially
among the miners. Many men are
without funds to buy a meal today. In
most instances these misfortunes are
only temporary as many will soon re-
ceive their insurance money.
ST. Paul. Mimi, Sept. Ex-Governor
johnson today issued a proclamation
in which he said:
"a great disaster has come to north
eastern Minnesota. Chisholm. one of
the splendid cities of the Mesaba range
has been totally destroyed by a de-
structive,. fln,est fire (which .sWcIt-oyer.
large portion of ST Louis county.
Every home and business house of
that community is burned and 5000
people are suddenly rendered homeless.
the property loss amounting to mill
lions of dollars. Early reports Indicate
also the total destruction Of the NTH
ing locations of Shenando, Hartley and
Pillshury The total number of people
rendered homeless will reach 12.0Na
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 tn
the generosity of the people Of Mime
sofa for liberal aid. and owing to tho
great necessity. ask that this assist
ance be as prompt as possible