Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-10-11
800 CHARRED VICTIMS
OF FOREST FIRE
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koe0 ~
Winnipeg, Man, Oct. Light hun
dred persons have lost their lives In
the great American Canadian forest
fires, nearly 200 bodies have been re-
covered 5000 are homeless, 1000 are
missing and the property loss is esti-
mated at 800, Oo0, 900. The population
Of the area burned over was $4,000.
Towns and villages burned: Bau-
dette, Spooner, Roosevelt, Longworth,
Swift, Pitt, ripple, Solal, Cedar Spur,
Gravel Pit Spur, Graceton and Enghle.
Partly burned and burning: Rainy
River, Warroad, Sprague, Information
al Falls and Pinewood.
In danger, Stratton and Fort Francis.
International Falls, crowded with
refugees, is burning, and it's people
and the refugees there are leaving in
every possible manner All the wo-
men and children have left. The men
say they will die in trying to save the
town. 1t burst into flames simply
from the terrific heat. No sooner is
the outbreak In one place put out than
others spring forth.
Terrible stories. are told of the panic
there. Men In their terror crushed
down women and children to get upon
a train. Miss Myra Burt, a prominent
young woman of Baudette, stationed
herself at the entrance to one of the
cars and violently kicked every nan
in the face who attempted to board
the train until she had lifted in the
babies and given the mothers a chance.
Before the fire started in Information
oil Falls typhoid fever had broken out
among the refugees. There were only
three cases, but 1t was feared the
disease would become epidemic.
For two hours the 1000 Inhabitants
OF Rainy River, Ont, and the more
than 5000 refugees seeking shelter
there from the terrible forest fires be-
lieved they would never see another
sunrise. The wind sprang up from
the direction of the fire zone, bringing
with it the frightful heat. With L. q
suddenness that was appalling the
town burst into flames in a dozen
places at once.
The lone telegraph poles went down,
and with them went what seemed the
last vestige of hope-the mea of
communication. Women screamed In
agony. Men were not less terrified
Lumberjacks, who had not prayed
since they knelt at their mothers
knees, knelt in the streets and appeal
ed to heaven for assistance.
Happily the wind dropped. The mel
set to work again to save their prop
erty. The charred fringe round the
outskirts of the town on the sides fac
ing the walls of raging flames stands
In mute but terrible testimony to the
narrow escape Rainy River had from
sharing in the fate of five cities that
have been consumed.
Cattle and horses, set loose by theil
owners, raced wildly about the edge OF
the fire. Then they plunged into the
deep and wide Rainy river and swan
across. With them were hundreds OF
deer, caribou, moose, bears, timber
wolves and wildcats. Fear had
quenched their natural hostility, and
when exhausted by their fight all lay
down together.
Never probably In the history OF the
country has there been seen so greaI
and strange a herd Of animals as has
passed here, Many of the refugees
who saw them pass were starving, but
not a single animal was molested In
its fight from the common enemy.
Almost every refugee who arrives In
Rainy River tells of having seen bod
les along the road. Many bodies
were seen along the tracks of the Ca
madam Northern by women who es
!, capped on horses. There are FOUL un
identified dead In the Root house,
west of Pitt-one man, two women
and O baby. a.
-Four railway trainmen fell through
a burned bridge between Pitt and
Raudette while attempting a rescue
and probably were lost. -
There are many bodies at Baudette
Seven were seen along the Baudettt
hriver, and eleven were found along
the logging road between Baudettt
and Rapid River.
MANY bodies have been taken tt
Rainy River. Not one had n vestigi
of clothing except parts OF shoes, an(
each looked as if 1t had been baked IL
a redhot oven
Searching parties are out seeking tn
dead and trying to relieve the suffer
ing. but 1t will be days before all tn,
dead can be found, If ever, because o
i. the great trees that have fallen acros
the road and viii have to be choppe.
away before wagons can get through
Houses that have escaped the fame
.na alInl Nth rofnInnnc- ronnn o9 thar