Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-11

800 DEAD, 1000 MISSING
AND OVER 5000 HOMELESS
Militia Guards Ruins and Takes
Charge of Relief Measures.
TWELVE TOWNS WIPED OUT
Terrible Heat Routs Rangers-Won-
derful Escapes-Beasts Herd
Together in Common
Plight.

Plight.
RAINY RIVER, Ont, October Ire
lief is arriving for the stricken people of
Baudette, 5pooner and the Rainy River
districts.
First to come to the assistance of the
people was Fort Frances, Ont. with 5000
cash. Six carloads of supplies have ar
rived
Two cars are from Virginia. Mimi. in
charge Of Alderman Boylan and A. II.
Heritage; two are from Duluth. in charge
of Mayor NJ. B. Cullom and Col. r. G..
Reisch- Bemidji. Mimi, county seat of
Beltraml. in which the fire was Sc
we're. is also on the ground with two car
loads
Sheriff Hazen. with twenty deputies and
Sergeant n Gill. with fifteen men of the
state militia from Bemidji. have taken
charge of the ruins and the erection of
tents and distribution of supplies.
\ pail of smoke hangs over Rainy River
from burning eat. AS the day passes
the real SORROW of the situation is be-
coming apparent
At various points in the fire zone, be-
tween Warrcad. Mimi. and Rainy River
reports to fire rangers indicate 129
bodies located. OF these ninety have
been recovered. but only sixty identi-
lied.
flreS can be seen to the east and
soutneast. Their progress is not a
. menace to human life.
FIRE rangers here complain that the
neat of the surface and gases arising
prevent their proceeding far into the
masses Of charred tree limbs and
burned underbrush. The air in the
devastated district is still smoky.
NO further attempt will be made to
locate bodies until further reinforce
mentS and relief are secured
provisions have reached here from
Winnipeg.
Last night. the streets of Rainy River
were patrolled by sixty armed guards
Suardsmen from Bemidji. Minn..
guarded Old Baudette.
The funeral of nineteen fire victims
were held here yesterday.
800 Dead, 1000 Missing.
WINNIPEG. Manitoba, October H.
Eight hundred persons have lost their
lives in the great American-Canadian for
est fires, nearly go bodies have been re-
covered, 5000 are homeless, 2OCO are
missing and the property loss is esti-
mated at s1oOWO,OJO. The population of
the area burned over was 1000
Towns and villages burned are Beau
dette. Spooner. Roosevelt. Longworth,
swift. Pitt. Ripple. Solal. Cedar Spur,
Partly burned and burning are the
towns of Rainy River, Warroad, Sprague,
International Falls and Pinewood
In danger yet are Stratton and Fort
Francis.
International Falls. crowded with ref
ugees. is burning. and it's people and the
refugees there are leaving in every pos
siole manner. All the women and chill
dren have left. The men saw they will
die in trying to save the town
II burst into flames simply from the
terrific heat No sooner is the outbreak
in one place put out than othe spring
forth.
Terrible stories are told of the manic
there Men in their terror crushed down
women and children TO ge upon train.
Miss Myra Burt. prominent young
woman of Baudette, stationed herself at
the entrance TO one of the cars and vio-
lently kicked every man in the face who
attempted to board the train until she
had lifted in the babies and given the
mothers chance. When the train start
ed there were five babies whose mothers
had been left behind
Before the fire started in International
Falls typhoid fever had broken out among
the refugees. There were ONLY three
cases, but il was feared the disease would
become epidemic.
Animals Swim to Safety.
Hardly less pitiful than the state of the
people is the plight of the animals. Cat
tie and horses. set loose by their owners.
Ihen they plunged into the deep and
VIDE Rainy river and swan across
with them were hundreds of deer Carl
bou. moose. bears. timber wolves and
wildcats Fear had quenched their natural
hostility, and when exhausted by their
flight all lay down together.
Never probably in the history of the
country has there been seen so great
ano strange a herd of animals as has
passed here Many refugees who saw
them were starving. but not a single an
irnal was molested in its flight from the
common enemy.
Pitiful tales of suffering are brought
IN by the refugees. Oscar Johnson wife
and three children stood five hours in
Baudette river up TO their necks to es-
cape the heat, and ducked their heads
when II became more than they could
bear. The water. they say. became hot
and steamed from the surface When
they escaped they had to rush through
what was like furnace of dying Goals
with here and there a blaze still tapping
out for something more TO destroy.
Mrs. r. G. Ragson. sixty pioneer,
Lad an exceptional escape with her little
srandchild. whom she carried in her
arms. When III her flight she stood
beaten and felt she could go no farther
white pony came up 10 her and whin-
MED. IL stood while she mounted its
back with the child and then galloped
along the railroad track. She passed by
nine persons who had fallen.
Worn out. and lacking both food and
shelter. for the town is overfowing. des-
titute men. women and children are
roaming the streets.
Mayor Williams of Baudette called to-
2ether in the streets here yesterday aft
ernoon the men who had been in busi-
ness in Baudette and SpOoner to organ
iZe relief \ special train on the Mime
sofa and International brought proyi-
eions-
1t also brought the Bemidu Company
of the Minnesota National Guard to take
charge of the distribution and keep order
The burned district is to be placed under
martial law
Their desperate condition is rendering
many lawless. 1t is dangerous to be
out. All are carrying firearms.
Special Policeman Walter Faris has
been so badly beaten by hoodlums he
probably will die. Armed guards are
patrolling the streets.
Most of the men have. however, acted
admirably. and the women. who have lost
everything they possessed. show marvel
oGs fcrttude- Tie refugees were able
~ escape with only the clothes they were