The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-10-27
Hospital Corps Returns from
Scene of Forest Fire
RELIEVED FROM DUTY
Strenuous Experiences at Beaudette
in the Work of Relieving
Distress There

DR.. H. L. Lamb, First Lieutenant
in the Third Regiment, Minnesota
National Guard, and attached to the
medical staff, returned Friday after
noon from his duties with the hospi-
tai corps at Beaudette, MINI.
Three members of the hospital
corps, H. T. Austin, Hafer VanCamp
and Henry Randers, came in on the
late night train Tuesday, arriving
here at PIP a. M, Wednesday. The
other two members of the corps, Au-
gust Larson and AL Minnette, will re-
main for some time, possibly all win
ter.
The members of the corps lad
rather strenuous existence in the
fire zone. The flames swept every
thing clean, leaving the habltants of
Beaudetue and Spooner absolutely
without resources. DR.. Lamb gives a
graphic description of things as he
found them. Sanitary conditions
were something awful and had it not
been for the prompt action of the
militia, the Red Cross and the medi.
cal corps of the National Guard, the
mortality would have been very great
The militia, of which there were
four companies on the ground, three
from Duluth and one from Bemidji
did yeoman service from the time
they arrived until they took their de.
parture. The presence of the soldiers
protected the distressed people, not
only from sickness and exposure but
also from depredations; for there were
lot of tough citizens hanging around
ready to prey upon the town. The
militia promptly put to work every
man able to do anything. Sightseers
were served the same as the Others
and any man who visited the ruins
had to be pretty agile to escape the
eagle eyes of the soldier boys.
The militia, assisted by the physi
clans and the hospital corps, buried
dead animals, disinfected houses
filed up wells and did the thousand
and one things necessary for the SAM
tation and the comfort of the stricken
towns.
The state transported the tents OF
the National Guard to Beaudette anG
Spooner and in them were placed the
refugees where they were warmed
clothed and fed.
The particular work of the hospital
corps was in enforcing sanitary meas
ures. The five young men composing
the corps worked faithfully, says DR.
Lamb, and proved themselves fully
capable of meeting the emergencies
which they encountered.
The boys returned well and strong
but were glad to get back home
again. While they had to work hare
all day they turned in early at night
and secured good rest every night.
Not so the physicians. DR.. T. c.
Clark, surgeon general of the Nation
al Guard, arrived on the governors
relief train that reached Beaudette q
day or two after the fire. He worked
week day and night and gave out
and had to 60 to his home in Still
water. DR.. Lamb had an exceedingly
strenuous time of it. He had little
rest during the week he was there
being up day and night. The result
was that he, like DR.. Clark, gave out
and had to leave for home. On the
way back he remained in Duluth
hospital one day recuperating.
The situation at Beaudette anC
Spooner, say the boys, is improving
right along, though there is likely t.
be suffering there during the winter
Red Cross officers have charge Of
things there now and houses are being
built for the people. But the big
lumber mill has closed down anC
there is little or nothing for the peo
pie to do to earn money. A gooo
many have left for other parts OF
have gone on TO their friends. But
many must stay right there all win
ter. Merchants are opening up theiI
stores but the trade they receive dur
ing the winter will much of it be
credit. Altogether the outlook, say
the boys, is anything but attractive
The troops passed through a part
of Canada, between international
Falls and Beaudette, and the Cana
dian authorities were very strict
The militia were compelled to box
their arms while in Canuck territory
1t is long and tedious trip to Beau
dette, with frequent changes of cars
1t takes fully two days to make the
Journey