Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1910-10-13
Northern Minnesota Visited BY the
Worst Forest Fires IN its History.
RAUDETTE, sPooNER. PITT.
eRAcEToN, SWIFT, LANGWoRTH
AND MANY SMALLER TOWNS
AND SETTLEMENTS IN ASHES. 4

4
AND MANY SMALLER TOWNS
AND SETTLEMENTS IN ASHES. {
HUNDREDS ARE DEAD, THOU
SANDS ARE HOMELESS AND.
$1oo,ooo,ooo WORTH OF PROPER
TY DESTROYED
Northern Minnesota is desolate and
gloomy today What was until last
week magnificent timber country is
now a dreary and blackened waste.
Thrifty and populous villages and
towns have been wiped Off the map
and hundreds Of human beings have
persisted in the fiery flames. Many
millions of dollars worth of property
has been destroyed. A splendid re-.
source Of the state has to a great ex-
tent been wiped out.
The most destructive forest fires in
the history Of the state have devas-
tated the large frest area bordering On
Z Lake of the Woods and the Rainy Riv-
I eT, and southwark for scores and
scores Of miles. These fires have
been smouldering in the woods OF
northern Beltrami and northeastern
Roseau counties all summer, with oc-
casional outbursts as the flames and
embers have been famed by high
winds and then in turn subdued by the
occasional showers. But last week
the winds were unusually strong and
the small fires burning here and thers
were turned into rageing seas of fire.
Graceton, small village on the Can
adian Northern railway about % miles
east Of Warroad was destroyed on
Tuesday afternoon of last week, the
flames driven by a high wind travell
ing at the rate of three and one-half
miles in the timber. The people fed
into the woods before the flames,
smoke and flying cinders and it is be
lieved all were saved, but all their
property was burned.
Spent Night in Woods.
AS the flames bore down on Grace:
ton the school was still in session,
and the teacher and children fled into
the woods, where they raced with the
flames all night, until Canfeld's cabin
was reached. Here was a little clear
4 ing and shelter was found for the bal
ance of the night. Several times dur
ing their flight through the woods the
& fire came so close that the clothing Of
the little girls caught fire; but the
teacher, young lady, showed re-
markable presence Of mind and cool
ness in keeping the children about her
and putting out the fires started.
Buried Family in Sand
In the country near Roosevelt the
fires have been raging for some time,
and when the velocity of the wind in
creased this week many narrow es,
eapes are recorded. a settler by the
name of Jordan, when the fire an
& preached and escape was cut Off,
buried his wife and children in the
sand and then himself, and there in
the sand pit they stayed until the
flames had raced by and laid waste
their home.
4 At Graceton man of 8Osyears OF
age, used the same means to save
! himself from being burned.
All the small stations on the Can,
adian Northern railway from Warroad
eastward to Baudette and Spooner and
\ including these towns we're menaced
Nv the fires and grave apprehension
was felt. All the able bodied men in
+ some Of the villages went out fighting
11res and endeavoring to protect pro
I perty. IS
But the climax Of misfortune came
on Friday Of last week. The fires
that we're burning many miles west q
: Raudette were radpally roachine
the town, which at noon became dark
with smoke. Many Of the residents
of pitt. the first station west Of Bau
dette, arrived during the afternoon
deeming that place very unsafe, any
y this fact made some Of the Warroae
people think Of impending danger. a l1t
few betook themselves to Rainy Riv
Ell, the Canadian town on the othe1
side of the River, late n the after
K noon. But most Of the people STAYED
believing that there was little rea
~ .aa NJ.
danger and that in case the firt
should come there would be- ample
time to got away. Il had been q
ranged 70 ring the IRE bells and blow
the wfistles when the fire struck th'
town ,,g md i ~ tthis sign The people g