The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1910-10-21
HUNDREDS ARE DEAD
FEW SETTLERS IN NORTHERN
MINNESOTA ARE BELIEVED
TO HAVE ESCAPED.
SEVEN TOWNS OFF The MAP
Fifty Miles OF the Rainy Lake coun-
try Mass OF Flre-Martial Law
for the Stricken Oistrict-Whole
Families Are Destroyed.

Rainy River. OMIT was estimated
Monday that at least 500 lives and
S100.000.O0O worth Of property had
been lost in the forest fires prevail
Ing in this region.
The tales OF horrible suffering
brought in Monday by refugees is al.
most beyond narration. Oscar John
son. wife and three children stood
five hours In the Baudette river duck
ing their heads when the heat became
too intense. They say the water In
the river was heated TO an uncomfort.
able temperature and that steam rose
from the surface
The property loss in the three towns
alone, including the Rat Portage Lum-
Der company's plant and yard at
Rainy river and the yard of the Shev.
lin-Mathieu Lumber company at
Spooner. will total $500. 900.
II will be some time before the loss
OF life is known even approximately.
and In fact IL may never be known.
The residents OF Rainy River. Ont.
are doing everything possible 10 as
sist the homeless residents Of the two
American towns
Poverty OF the worst kind is added
to the woes Of the throngs that locked
into International Tails and Rainy
River.
Winnipeg. Mana terrific prairie
fire is burning eight miles east OF
Winnipeg along IN. line OF Canadian
Northern railway and travelling west.
ward - a rapid rate. The fire is ma
king the temperature OF the city very
high
Warroad. Minn.-Ref.~ee arriving
here every hour tel OF the finding Of
more bodies in the region swent by
forest fires. The fatalities are esti-
mated at from 200 10 500. while the
total may reach 1000. Fully 1000
are not accounted for. bit some OF
them are known 10 be safe.
Men who returned Monday from
Raudette on a railway motor say that 4
the list of dead in the district back
from the railway tracks there will 4
reach $50.
Every settler in the district bound
ed by the Rainy river and Lake of the
Woods on the north 10 % miles south
Of Fort Frances. Ont. and from Spoon
er and Baudette. MINI. on the east.
10 Warroad. MINI. on the west. is in
danger. as there is no known means
of escape
For distance OF 80 miles from Bau.
iette and the Rainy river west OF
Warroad the forest was a solid mass
of fire Sunday.
Baudette is only charred remnant
n town. Spooner is entirely wiped
IN the earth. Cedar Spur Gracetou.
Pitt Swift and Roosevelt. mere ham
cts. are destroyed.
Nine bodies were seen on the Cana
Ian Northern tracks BY women who
mounted horses and fed along the
ailway. Four unidentified dead are
n the Root House. west OF Pitt. inclu-
ling one man. two women and a baby.
here are three more along the Rapid
iver
Seven settlers up the Baudette river
nd II settlers between Rapid River
nd Baudette we're found dead living
longside a logging road by settlers
no escaped the flames.
There we're hundreds OF homes de-
troyed In the territory. and as there
re no roads in the district save for
ne trails through the bush. II Is
Jared that many lives have been lost !
nat will not be reported for weeks.
The state OF Minnesota is sparinc
o expense to check the fire. The
ate fire warden is mastering every I
ian he can procure. and he is in |
ructed 10 use every possible means I
his command. regardless Of cost. a
A special relief train has arrived NJ
International Falls from Bemidu. bear
z provisions destined for Rainy c
liver and the Bemidji company OF the q
innesota National Guard. who will v
Ike charge of the distribution of sup {
les and the preservation Of order. v
he burned district will be placed un- 4
r martial law.