The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1917-06-09

CANOSlA, June S.-(Special
to the Rip-saw)-Col. Charles w.
Fitzgerald, a prominent fire in.
surance broker of Duluth, while
fighting the terrible forest fires
that ragged around Pike Lake
some days ago, was badly bitten
by blind pig that infests the
trail between Mrs. Dumphyis
place and the Park hotel.
Colonel Fitzgerald came out
from Duluth to fight forest fires
with party Of men who own
bungalows, cottages and camps
around Pike Lake. The fight
was long and fierce and only by
the most heroic work were the
flames kept from the many val
liable properties.
Colonel Fitzgerald, who is
noted for his verve and dash, led
the charge and jumped into the
midst of the combat with zeal
and energy worthy the name he
bears. A silk shirt that cost ST
at Siewert's, soon was scorched
to a shrivel. Cinders and SCOT
quickly made a pair of So green
silk socks look like lumber
camp dishrag. A fancy waistcoat
that cost five pounds, sterling, in
dear old Lunnon, was worn to
tatters by using it to flap the
flames. The strenuous Son of
st. Patrick eventually was
stripped down to an Open-mesh
undershirt and pair Of laven-
der trousers.
The flames not only roared but
advanced, rather than retreated.
1t looks as if the Pike Lake re-
gion had found its Verdun.
Although compelled to give
ground, Colonel Fitzgerald Meth
er was dismayed nor defeated.
With rare presence of mind he
made a mastery retreat to Ma
dam Dunphy's house where he
secured a strong gunny sack
with which to beat back the
fiendish flames. Declining Mad
am Dunphy's kind invitation to
stop for wee sup O. tay, the
daring Duluthian hurried back
to the fighting line, only to dis
cover that he had forgotten to
moisten, soak or saturate the
gunny sack with wet water. Sur
prised but not discouraged by
the oversight, Colonel Fitzger-
aid ordered a retreat and, &C
companied by his companion-at-
arms, he made detour to the
Kendall dock where the gunny
sack was thoroughly saturated.
A flank movement then was Or
dered against the rapidly ad-
vancing flames.
While on the trail between the
Park hotel and Madam Dunphy's
house, a blind pig of the Mil
waukee breed rushed out of the
underground, bore both men to
the ground and badly bit both
of them in the department of the
interior.
The bites. while serious, were
not fatal. For many hours they
were not even painful. But they
had the effect of first making
the victims giddy, then delirious
and, finally, unconscious. BY the
next morning, however, both men
had so far recovered that they
could return to Duluth, a bit
shaky, but in proper condition to
get to Turkish baths to neutral
lie any virus in the bites.
! There has not been such in
tense excitement since the time
that Frank w. Eaton, s. B. Fit
ger and others came out here to
fish and, while out in. the boats,
Rufus johnson drank up all the
bait they left under the seat of
the tallyho.
Col. Charles w. Fitzgerald,
hero of the battle of Pike Lake,
is one of the famous Fighting
Fitzgeralds." He also is noted
in half a dozen states as daring
and fearless automobile driver.
He has burned up the road be-
tween Duluth and Pike Lake a
hundred times.
Colonel Fitzgerald holds the
state record for driving car the
farthest up a telephone pole.
While DR.. Hoppman is the first
man in Duluth to attempt that
stunt, his record is many, many
feet below that Of Colonel Fitz-
gerald. The Colonel, too, has
the distinction of smashing up at
least three caro without q scratch