The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1910-05-17
CITY DAIL|ES' FIRE
STORIES MOSTLY ROT
Picture Bemidji as Doomed City.
Exaggerate Forest Fires in
Yellow Manner.
SHOULD EXERCISE MORE CARE
STORIES ARE LAUGHING STOCK
Total Damage Estimated at Not Over
81, 900. City l. Protected
by Roads.

In the large cities including
Duluth, ST. Paul and Minneapolis
the dailies were filled with alarming
ing stories about the perilous con-
dition Of Bemidji in connection with
the recent forest fires.
Think of it. The following para
graph appeared in the Minneapolis
Journal of May IL. Women and
children prayed in the churches of
BemidI last night for rain, or some
other act of nature. to save their
homes from impending catastrophe.
At noon citizens held public meet
ing and Governor Eberhart was
telegraphed information of the peril
of the city and a request for help"
Another paragraph contains this
account: The smoke rolled through
the city, filling homes and churches
50 that in the latter the pulpit could
not be seen from the rear of the
auditorium. People groped about
almost panic-stricken through the
murky streets. Help from the
neighboring towns began to pour
into the city last night and 5000
volunteers from as far east as Duluth
will be available"
Now if this isn't rot. what should
we call it. These city dailies that
contained such alarming stories
about the fire conditions are the
laughing stock of the entire COM
munity. Just who is responsible for
sending out from this city such
| conglomeration of lies is not known,
but the large dailies should make
thorough investigation and not pub
lish all the rot that is sent them.
Listen to some of the headliners.
"Bemidji Faces Flaming PERIL"
Women And Children Gather In
Churches While Fathers and Hus-
bands Fight DOOM" Advancing
Wall OF Destruction Sweeps Down
On Place From South Under Pres
sure Of Heavy Wind" Walker And
Bemidji Saved From Flames" /" "Two
Villages Near Former Place Threat
ened With Destruction, ""Rain Halts
Fire Menacing Bemidji." Such
headliners as these are enough to
scare people grey headed.
A long distance telephone call
from St. Paul making inquiries
regarding the perilous condition of
Bemidji gave satisfaction to those
Immediately interested that condi-
tions were not at all alarming.
Now this is what those big head
liners were all about. The i'm
mense amount of $1,000 represents
the property loss of much talked
of fire. Why, many people own
woodsheds worth over $1,000. Many
farmers in this vicinity own barns
worth $1,000. The fact of the
matter is Bemidji people thought
less of the fire than if the local
department had been called out to
woodshed or box car far on the out
skirts of the city. It is true that
so or 60 men left for the scene under
the direction of Fire Ranger
Shannon but to think of 5000 is
perfectly ridiculous.
| At any event the Lord has blessed
us with showers of rain which will
prevent the sending out additional
rot regarding the dangerous forest
fires in this vicinity.
It might be added that consider
able good has been derived from
fires. Brush and rubbish and small
wooded places which would cost
considerable toclear have been prac-
tically wiped off by the fires, which
will save a considerable amount Of
labor in preparing this land for
cultivation purposes. People in
Bemidji cont ne to laugh at the
idea Of this city being in danger,
Two big lakes gives this city ample
protection. Outside readers might
think, Judging from the head.
liners on the city papers, that those
flames might have leaped across
Lake Bemidji, two miles in breadth
and rendered total destruction to
this fair city. A circulation Of
stories Of this kind ought not be
tolerated BY the publishers.