Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1910-10-11
SURVIVORS TELL
OF FIRE HORROR
MINNESOTA FOREST FLAMES ARE
SWEEPING EVERYTHING.
VANDALS ARE AT WORK
10 Add to the Untold suffering and
tonlusiOn Thieves Are nt
Work.

lllllllob, MdN,t p'l lu-Ine nat
est reports of the forest hres in the
Rainy River region of Minnesota to-
night increased the horrors Of the sit
uation, II not the numbers Of lives lost.
The estimates of the number of per.
sons killed range from scventy-llve to
four hundred tonight Several con.
sorvatIyc men Of business authority
placed the deaths at more than one
hundred But the greater concern
for the present Us the rescue of the
helpless ana the relief of thousands OF
homeless men, women and children,
Stories of wild animals, fleeing for
safety side by side with human beings,
their nutuul fear and hostility
qucnched by the terror OF the flames;
Of mothers burned to death with their
babies ON their breasts, and men cre-
mated while cndoavorlng to shield the
children are among the tales OF hor-
rur brought In today
ITS he'll down there said Engin-
ccr Smith of the Duluth express when
II arrived today, His train brought
many refugees from the scene OF the
ConilagratIon
"lf the fire keeps on the way II Is
going there Is going to be mighty lit
tie left of the population of that part
of Minnesota" he said.
1T has quietcd down little but
needs only puff of wind to be as
lad as ever.
For miles around Beaudette, and
Sponer whore there were large tracts
OF bush before. II is now as level as
the prairie, II has been a forest In
that part of the country for such a
long time that the earth is practically
peat and when tree fell II set fire
oven TO the roots and the earth around
the roots.
"Al OF the bridges have been re-
paired. They had just finished "a bridge
between Pit and Beaudette. through
which the great train went short
time before we arrived there, and a
special train, special machinery and
workmen s going over tho entire
system strengthening all OF the bridges
on the Canadiaiis Northern road
through which the IRE passed.
MANY of the bridges over which
we had to go hld been slightly charr-
ed but the real strength Of them had
not been seriously hurt. From where
we were In the engine II seemed that
every timber mill In the country had
been burned except that of the Shev-
elm Muttieu Company, which Is safe
All Of the lumber In the yards burned
like n flash.
when we passed through, all ter
rltory near the track had burned and
was merely smoulderlng All Of the
ties of the road have been charred
and the country is level with the
tracks. We stopped every little while
TO take ON people, The most of them
stopped Off just outside of the danger
zone so they could Immediately go
back to what was left Of their homes
after The IRE dies down"
Probably one Of the most thrilling
reports Of the situation was described
by Miss Townsend Of Warroad, one of
the refugees on the Duluth train. Mrs.
Townsend said
"Two train londs Of people left War
road last night after midnight but we
did not know whether they reached
u place of safety or not. The town of
Buudettc Is wholly deserted.
Everyone In Warroad who had a
revolver Is carrying II, The survivors
are desperate and a great deal of van
dalism is rising, Men are robbing the
women Of their jewels. II Il high
wind arose nothing could save tho
town Of Warroad We passed through
Sprague. a man said that the fire
run right up TO the Canadian Northern
station
Mrs Townsend was accompanied In
her flight by Mrs smith, her child.
and Mrs. TAFT the wife Of the imml-
grafton agent at that point. Lee Fos-
ter Of Boston. Mass came through on
the Duluth special
"lf the wind drops Rainy River will
bee saved, but otherwise the town Is
IN great danger" he said
Trunks and yalscs full OF valua-
blcs are piled up along the railway
track in vain endeavor TO save them,
Nlndals are lurking around and steal
ing the property Of the dead and de-
fonsclcss,'