The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1910-05-16
Heavy Winds Carried Old Fire Towards
City Through Dried Brush
and Timber.
BIG CITIES EXCITED BY CALL
FOR AID OF LOCAL MILITIA
Backfires Saved Several Farm Homes
Light Rain Aided Greatly Com
paratively Small Damage.

A large forest fire caused con-
siderable danger and excitement
south of Bemidji yesterday, with a
property loss of about $1,000. The
Bemidji militia was assembled and,
through mistakes at St. Paul, Col.
Raische of Duluth assembled the
Duluth companies of the Minnesota
National Guard, ready to start to
Bemidji on the evening train.
Through the quick response of men,
bers of the Bemidji fire department
and other citizens, the fire was
checked until the light rain put out
the flames.
Just before noon yesterday word
was received in this city that the
farmers south of town needed help
to fight a fire which had been
burning for several days, and which
the strong wind of yesterday morn,
ing was blowing back towards the
brickyard and the city. The state
fire ranger for this district, acting
under special orders from St. Paul,
went to the fire and found that the
farmers had not explained the great
danger.
The ranger telephoned to the
city and asked that Company K
be ordered to the scene of the fire.
George Kirk, president of the city
council, and fire warden of the city
during Mayor Parker's absence,
quickly responded to the call for
assistance and brought out 50 or
90 men. The fire by this time
had reached the Freeze residence,
one mile south of the brick yard,
and caught fire to the barn. The
men fought to save the house bat
the pump was in buggy shed
which was burning and only the
strong wind blowing to the north
west, thus carrying the flames
away from the home, saved the
residence. Other farmers in the
vicinity had sent their families
away, expecting their homes to
burn.
Back fires were started along the
road east of the Freeze residence
and behind the clearings of several
farmers in that neighborhood. By
massing large numbers of men along
the Plantagnet road near the school,
house, back fires were started
through considerable jack pine tim
Der and from the edge of several
clearings in time to break the force
of the fire which was being driven
by the wind. The fire was prevented
from crossing the Plantagenet road
and by the hard work of city men
the little red school house was saved.
Company K did not receive the
orders which they were awaiting
from St. Paul, through the misunder-
standing mentioned. kilograms
were received late in the afternoon
signed by Governor Eberhart an
nouncing that the aid requested
would be furnished by Colonel
Raische at Duluth. Col. Raische
was informed that his services would
not be required in Bemidji, the fires
having been checked and a light
rain begun to fall.
The property loss of Mr.. Freeze
was probably $500, he having had
considerable machinery in the barn.
The Bemidji Brick company lost
about 60 cords of wood on the
Nangle farm. This loss, together
with small amount of timber des-
troyed, would make the total loss of
the fire at about $1,000.
This fire started a week ago Sun
day on both sides of small swamp
half way between Bemidji and the
Jester farm at Lake Plantagnet. It
appears to have been set fire intep-