The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-10-11
RELIEF FORBURN[D
DISTRICT
Death List is Increasing and
Northern Minnesota is
Devastated.

Rainy River, Ont, Oct 11.-Relief
is arriving for the stricken people in
/ the Beaudette, Spooner and Rainy
River districts. Six carloads of sup
plies have arrived from various
points and money contributions are
being received.
Winnipeg, Man, Oct 1.-THE
latest reports from the fires in the
Rainy River region of Minnesota in
crease the horrors of the situation.
| Estimates of the number of persons
killed range from seventy-five to 400
today. Many conservative men place
the number of deaths at more than
100. But the greater concern for
the present is the rescue of the help
less and the relief of thousands of
homeless men, women and children.
Animals Flee.
Stories of wild animals, fleeing for
safety side by side with human be-
ings; Of mothers burned to death
with babies on their breasts, and of
men cremated while endeavoring to
shield their children, were among
the tales of horror brought in today
The Duluth express, when it ar
rived here today, brought many refu-
gees from the scene of the confla-
grafton.
The engineer of the train thus de-
scribes the situation:
If the fire keeps on the way it
Is going there will be little left Of
the population of that part of Min
nesota. For miles around Beaudette
and Spooner, where there were large
tracts of brush, it is now swept clear.
Fires Are Strong.
There have been forests in that
part of the country for such a long
time that the earth is practically
peat, and when a tree fell it set fire
even to the roots and the earth
around the roots.
From my engine it appeared that
every timber mill in the country had
been burned except that of the Shev-
lin Mattieu company, which is safe.
All the lumber in the yards, however.
burned like a flash.
Country Smoldering.
When We passed through all the
territory near the track had been
burned over and was still smolder-
ing.
| All the ties of the road have been
charred. We stopped every little
while to take on people, but most of
them got off just outside the dam
| ger zone so they could go back to
what was left of their homes after
the fire dies down
One Of the most thrilling stories
/ of the situation is given by Mrs.
/ Townsend, of Warroad, refugee on
the Duluth train. She said:
! Robbery Goes On.
/ Two trainloads Of people left
| Warroad last night after midnight,
| but we do not know whether they
reached a place of safety The town
of Beaudette is wholly deserted
Every one in Warroad who had
revolver is carrying it. The sur
vivors are desperate and a great deal
Of vandalism is abroad. Men are
robbing women of their jewels
If a high wind arose, nothing
could save the town of Warroad.
When We passed through Sprague
we saw that the fire had run right
up to the Canadian Northern sta
ton"
Other refugees :ell how wild ami
! mails raced wildly about the edge Of
the fire and then turned and plunged
into the Rainy river and swan across
to safety. They followed the human
flight, and cattle released by their
owners at the approach of the. flames
fled to safety.
Animals Friendly.
Accompanying the horses were
hundreds of deer, caribou and moose.
and in truth the cattle fearlessly lay
down with the bears, wildcats and
timber wolves. They were all fly
ing from a common enemy.