The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-11-26
HOUSING VICTIMS
OF FOREST FIRES
American Red Cross Organizes
Building Bees" in Region Swept
BY Flames.

WASHINGTON, Nov. ZJ.-One Of
the strangest facts observed in the
forest fires which occasionally sweep
over the woods OF Northern Michigan
and Minnesota is the burning Of the
ground. Falling leaves, bark and
twigs and dying plant life gradually
accumulate in the forests. The rains
and dense shade keep the mass damp,
Moses grow on the surface of the de-
caying vegetation. The half-rotted
stun settles down and hardens. Trees
spring up and their roots take hold
in the peaty substance.
Then comes a season OF drought.
and the dampness slowly evaporates.
A hunter or woodman or farmer
builds fire, or railway engine drops
a spark. The dry surface of the
ground is ignited and slow cancer
OF fire eats deep among the roots of
the trees, smouldering for weeks or
months. Then one day a strong wind
springs up. The trees, undermined by
the fire, topple over. their roots
throwing out showers OF sparks and
burning masses of tinder-like material.
Flames burst out in every direction,
and, like a fash, a forest fire Is in
full sweep.
The forest fire which occurred in
Northern Minnesota few weeks ago
broke out In many places at once, be-
cause many OF these smouldering fires
were simply awaiting the gale which
sprang up on Oct. 7. In this fire about
1000 square miles of country were
burned. The thriving villages of
10 tnyffh tlntf nVN %
and Spooner, with $50, were swept out
OF existence in an hour Hundreds OF
"homesteaders, carving their farms
out of the forests, lost their homes
and saved their lives by lowering
themselves into wells, or plunging
into streams or ponds. Thirty lives
were lost, and 5000 persons were left
homeless, with food, live stock, farm
crops and machinery all gone.
When the agents of the American
Red Cross reached the burned dis
trict they realized that winter was at
hand in this north country and that
the greatest task was the swift con-
struction of a large number of shell
tiers. 1t was a big job, and 1t had to
be quickly done. Here is the manner
in which the Red Cross met the emer-
gency:
Two simple designs for houses were
prepared, OF one and two rooms, re-
spectively. These required only few
standard sizes of lumber, and tar pa
per took the place of shingles and
plaster. Lumber was rushed In from
Canada, the secretary OF the treasury
at Washington having waived the GUS
toms duty on supplies required by the
Red Cross. A half.doZen carpenters
were hurried to the scene. Then
building BEES were organized, with
one carpenter in command of each. A
half-dozen neighbors, with saw and
hammer, would help Ole Olson build
his house. Then all, including Olson,
would move along and build Hans
Hanson's house. and so on. The
speed with which these houses were
erected where severa, bees" were
"humming' at the same time, was
startling. While this was going on
the Red Cross was hurrying into the
fire district. from Duluth and St.
Paul and Minneapolis big orders or
doors, windows, stoves. bedding,
chairs, kitchen utensils and pro-
Visions AS rapidly as the little
houses were ready, they were fur
nished and stocked up with food and
the families moved in.
1t was a desperate race with win
ter and the Red Cross won. While
the race was at its swiftest there was
not buster spot between the oceans
than this black and desolate stretch of
country along the northermost rim OF
Minnesota. Much remains to be done,