The Mankato free press., 1918-10-18

are nearly 300 and probably the
total will top 1000.
Duluth, Minn., Oct. 16. - The
number of bodies recovered and
reported here throughout the fire.
stricken district mounted to 700,
with every indication that nearly
as many more would be found be-
fore the work is completed. At
Duluth 200 bodies have been re-
ceived, at Moose Lake 800, at Har-
ney 80, Carlton, 13, Cioquet 18,
Fond du Lac AZ, Breavator 10 and
Barnum 10.
Moose Lake, Mimi, Oct. 16.-Fires
are raging anew in Aitkin, Solana,
Lawler, McGrath, McGregor, Isle and
other towns within a 60-mile radius of
Moose Lake. Famed by wind of
high velocity the flames are roaring
through pine forests and settlements
previously untouched and indications
are scores more many lose their lives
and their belongings.
Home guards, led by state forestry
officials, are battling desperately
against the rush of fire. Fire fight
ers were driven back few miles from
Lawler by a solid sheet of flame four
miles wide, and fire IL miles in width
was steadily advancing on McGrath,
White Pine and Solana, rs miles west
of here.
Special Train Brings Guards.
Adjutant General Rhinow, in COM
mand of the Home Guards and men,
bers of the Motor Corps, called out
200 guardsmen from Anoka to fight
the fire at Aitkin, 60 miles west of
Moose Lake. They were to arrive on
a special train, .--t r-.
Throughout the territory now threat
ened by the flames conditions much
the same as in the Moose Lake regions
where settlers perished by the hun
dred, are prevailing. Everywhere are
tiny settlements, with farms thickly
dotting the adjacent country. 1t was
from the farms that the fire on Sat
urday took it's heaviest toll. and the
authorities, using every means to pre-
vent another tragedy are considering
calling out the entire National Guard
of the state in an attempt to check
further spread of the blaze.
Adjutant General Rhinow and 100
men in autos of the Motor Corps have
gone to LaWler. Two hundred addi-
tional guards arrived here in a special
train, and 100 of them are to be sent
to the Lawler region as soon as mo-
tors are available. In one of the first
autos to leave for Lawler was Gov
ernnr Rurnnnist
Fire East of Duluth.
ASSOCIATED fress Dspatch.I
Duluth, October ia high east
wind is tanning the forest fires east
CT the outskirts of Duluth. Fire com
panies and citizens are fighting them.
There is no immediate danger.
Moose Lake, October 16.-Doctors
and nurses rushed to Cloverton where
serious fire is reported The area
covered is unknown here. The pub
lie safety commissions fund, totalling
nearly quarter of million dollars,
is laid aside for relief
st. Paul, October 16.-The question
of an extra session of the legislature
to provide fire relief and reconstruc-
tion assistance is being discussed Of
ficially.
Duluth, October 16.-Until today
there was little talk and small sup
position that the great forest fires
which devastated the whole of nor
thern Minnesota were caused by in
iorsx icin
port of Duluth detectives and gov
ernment agents, however, it seems
certain that some Importance must
be given this claim.
1t appears beyond doubt that
the great fires in the lumber yards
near Duluth which threatened a
government shipyard on the Great
Lakes was started from an incen- :
diary origin. Other fires probably
started from this source. Depart
ment of justice officials and detec-
tives yesterday made a thorough
tour of inspection over the burned
area They declare that in many
cases 1t would have been utterly i'm
possible for the fires to have spread
across large barren areas unless
they had been set by someone in the
woods
May Have Been Plot.
No secret is made of the belief
that the whole was a great plot. Ir
some instances it has been found
that the flames leaped across barrer
strips against the wind and not will
it. This clearly was an impossibili
ty unless the fire was carried by
, someone. Oldtimers reported thai
peat fires had been burning in the
woods but these could not have beer
famed sufficiently to have caused
the great conflagration.
Authorities are looking for ont
man from ST. Paul who is believed
to have instigated the whole affair
Seven hundred bodies are now listet
gqContinued on Page Two.)