The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-10-11
3 TOWNS BURNED
Over 200 Lives Lost in
Forest Fires.
60 BODIES HAVE BEEN FOUND
Dead Marks Trail Of Victims Flight
From Roaring Flames in North
ern Minnesota and Canada.
Trains Save Thousands.
60 BODIES HAVE BEEN FOUND

Rainy River, Oht.s OCts Nv HiAo
wind Is sweeping sea Of fire east
ward on the south side OF Rainy
River at a velocity OF Any miles an
hour, the great body of flames passed
this section. revealing a calamity that
already reaches the proportion OF an
international disaster.
Sixty dead have been found In the
path Of the flames, while the towns oil
Spooner. Beaudette and Pitt have been
totally destroyed. with a property loss
that cannot be even estimated AT the
present. II is believed that at least leO
others persisted
With the exception of the destruc-
ton of the mills and stock OF the Rat
Portage Lumber company, near Rainy
River. following the course OF the
flames. which touched corner OF the
town, a principal loss is confined to
the south side of the river and chiefly
sustained along the American border.
These fires have been smouldering
in that district for months and we're
started anew by terrific wind which
began 10 blow two days ago. The wind
increased in velocity with the heat,
until a wave Of fame over 100 feet
high and as long leaped barriers hair
a mile wide In many directions.
Many Persisted on Railroad Track.
II was this situation that caused so
many to perish on the railway track.
They sought this opening in the bush
but were burned to cinders by the
heat wave leaping this barrier of some
300 yards along the clearing OF the
railway tracks.
The best description OF the fire was
given BY James Ramsey, well known
citizen of Spooner. He said: i was
several miles south OF Beaudette when
| first heard the roar of the flames /
started to run for the town. but the
fire was coming fast and was very
close. ! caught up with a man. who
was accompanied by a woman with
baby. They were exhausted, and
grabbed the child and fed. There was
a wall OF flames ahead OF US. but the
wind shifted and We passed through. |
can't understand how any of the home
steaders of that section can have es-
capped. believe this fire will go
through hundreds OF miles OF brush
and timber and that hundreds OF PEG
pie will perish"
The flames struck Pitt Sunday and
everything was destroyed. Previously
Beaudette and Spooner had burned,
and the people fed across to Rainy
River. Many were overtaken as they
fed from Pitt and persisted. The
prompt work Of relief engineered by
the Canadian Northern railroad OIL
Gals preserved thousands of lives, as
practically all the residents Of Speen-
er, Beaudette and Pitt escaped only
by the special trains run for them by
that company.
Many trains had been running
through suffocating smoke and burn
ing bridges and timbers, but regard
less of danger to the crews. The most
dramatic happenings were those incl
dent to the escape of 2O00 fugitiyes in
a long train OF box cars.
Relief Trains Crowded.
The mob Of men, women and chill
dren waited for the train while their
homes were in flames. and the roar OF
falling timbers were narrowing In the
extreme. The first trainload steamed
across to Rainy River. with the men
hanging to the sides and to the car
trucks. Women were given first places.
Many Of those left started running
down the tracks and perlshed thus.
Others with great courage stood to
their ground and were rescued by the
second train.
The women and children have found
shelter with the families OF Canadians,
but most Of the men are living in box
cars. Most Of these unfortunates have
lost everything they possessed, many
OF them being almost naked. Tents are
badly needed. The most conservative
estimates are that at least 100 people |
have persisted in the woods, of which |
there is no record and possibly never
will be. Two thousand people are
homeless