The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1910-10-13
HUNDREDS PERISH.
Forest Fires Oyerwhe|m Settlers
Without Warning.
Four Towns Wiped Out BY Onrush-
ing BIaze--Hundreds Escape on
Special Trains.

Warroad, Mimi, Oct 10.-Death's |
toll from forest fires now sweeping
Northern Minnesota in the Rainy River |
perintendent Cameron of the Canadian
Pacific railway, says this estimate will
be larger.
Four towns have been wiped out by
the flames.
Hundreds Of settlers are missing and
the death list grows hourly. Bodies of
90 dead have already been gathered
| Thousands Of refugees fill Warroad-
The town is in great danger from
forest fires (which are gradually ap-
preaching the town. Two special
trains left Winnipeg over the Cana
dian Northern railway with fire hose
and apparatus. Roosevelt is safe af-
ter an all-day fight, but the town is
crowded with refugees.
The fire is spreading and is now only
seven miles from Sprague, Manitoba,
which is 20 miles Northwest of here.
A fire is also coming down from the
north Of Sprague, where it has burned
the great quantities Of cord wood, tel
ephone and telegraph poles awaiting
shipment.
The forest fire is the greatest since
the Hinckley, Mimi, horror of Is
years ago. 1t is almost impossible to
estimate the number Of missing, but
messages sent out by private individ-
uals indicate that 100 relatives, most
ly from around Beaudette, have not re-
ported.
General Superintendent Cameron, OF
the Canadian Northern, places the
number Of deaths at 400, but admits
Chat it may be larger.
The towns of Pitt, Spooner, Grace
town and Beaudette were burned Fri
day night The fire was Sheralded by a
shower of sparks and burning brands,
. which swept across the Beaudette riv-
er, and the inhabitants barely had
time to reach the special train that
was waiting before both towns were
on fire.
Sick people, apparently by the score,
: appeared and were carried or assisted
to points of safety. There were five
|, patients in Carrigan's hospital who
had been burned.
, A special train is waiting to TAKE
|. the people to some other point in case
the fire should get fresh start Tit
town is not yet entirely free of dan
ger.
The buildings IF the Shevlin-Math
leu Lumber company are PRACTICAL.
the only structures standing in Spoon
= er, not tree, fence, nor foot Of side
!. walk being left. There are not eve
: the heaps of debris that usually renal
after a fire.
The property loss in Rainy River
Beaudette and Spooner alone, incluc
ing the Rat Portage Lumber company
plant and yard at Rainy River and tn
pany at Spooner, will total about 81,
. 500, 900. 1t will be some time befor
the loss of life is known even approx
: mately.
y Wagon loads of human bodies ar
: being brought into the railway static
- at Beaudette. 1t is reported that man
= settlers, crazed with grief at the los
= of families and property, are roamin
- the woods, and searching parties al
u looking for the injured, the dead an
- the demented. One family of min,
ID one of seven and one Of five are know
to have persisted.
At 8 80 p. m. Saturday tornad
". of fire struck Beaudette and Spoonel
=. and within three minutes after the fir
pt alarm every building was ablaz'
So Within half an hour they were bt
heaps of ashes. The people of thes
two towns had just enough time to q
. out of their homes with what they hs
=, on their backs. They were loaded Q
y passenger train that was standing
4 the depot and taken to Rainy Rive
~ Ont