Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1910-10-13
BAUDETTE, sPooNER, PITT.
GRACETON, SWIFT, LANGWoRTR
AND MANY SMALLER TOWNS
AND SETTLEMENTS IN ASHES,

HONDREOS ARE DEAD, THOU
SANDS ARE HOMELESS AND
$1oo,ooo,oo0 WORTH OF PROPER
TY DESTROYED .n
Northern Minnesota is desolate and
gloomy today What was until last
week a 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
perished 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 en-
Lake of the Woods and the Rainy Riv-
er, 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 there
were turned into rageing seas of fire.
Graceton, a small village on the Can
adian Northern railway about % miles
east Of Warroad was destroyed Oh
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 fled
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 fed into
the woods, where they raced with the
flames all night, until Canfield's cabin
was reached. Here was a little clear
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-
capes are recorded. A settler by the
name of Jordan, when the fire ap-
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.
At Graceton man of S0~years 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 were menaceo
by the fires and grave apprehension
was felt. All the able bodied men jr
some of the villages went out fighting
fires and endeavoring to protect pro
perty.
But the climax of misfortune came
on Friday Of last week. The fires
that we're burning many miles west q
Baudette were gradually approaching
the town, which at noon became dari
with smoke Many Of the residents
Of Pitt, the first station west Of Bau
dette. arrived during the afternoon
deeming that place very unsafe, ane ant
4 this fact made some of the Warroac
people think Of impending danger, ane
few betook themselves to Rainy R1v
ser, the Canadian town on the othe1
side Of the River, late in the after
noon. But most Of the people STAYED
believing that there was little rea
danger and that in case the az.
should come there would be ample
time to get away It had been g