Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-14
NEARLY 1000 DEAD
IN FOREST FIRES
TWenty-0ne Towns Are De-
stroyed, With Property
Damage in Millions.
THOUSANDS HOMELESS

DULUTH, Minn., October H.
Twenty-one towns were de-
stroyed, with n kaown death list
Of 28S, by the IRE which swept
northeastern Minnesota Saturday
and Sunday. The injured in Du-
luth hospitals total 10s. The
towns totally :: or partially de-
st,sye4 are GsSset. ll9ess 'Iekss
Kettle Rivsss ~. :
Munger. FiSS T6fSers, Harney.
Grand Lake. Maple. Grsves Twiss &
Bar.um, Mathews, AtkinsOh. Qllf- .
ton, French River. Carleton, Pike
Lake. Broekston, Brevator and
Pine Hill.
DULUTH, Mimi, October. IA
large section Of northeastern Mime
sota-three days ago busy and pros
porous business and farming country
today was a smoldering ruin, with
hundreds of bodies of men, women
and children, many Of them burned
beyond recognition, strewn about the
countryside, as the result Of the dis
astrous forest fires which. swept this
territory Saturday and Sunday. :.
Latest estimates place the death
list at close to 1000. although no
official figures were available early
today. Hundreds Of persons are more
or less seriously burned, thousands
are destitute and homeless and the
property loss will run into many mil
lions of dollars. AT least a dozen
cities and towns were destroyed. The
worst blazes were at Moose Lake, Ket-
tie river and Cloquet. In Moose Lake
and immediate vicinity it is estimated
more than 800 jersons perished In
the flames. Between 900 and 400 cof-
fins have been ordered sent to this
town alone.
Although countless small fires were
burning throughout the district today
and the more serious blaZes had died
down considerably during the night, a
revival of the seventy y-mile an hour
gale of Saturday, would bring fuEther
horrors and add greatly to the tragedy.
Enemy Agents Suspected.
Reports that the holocaust resulted
circulated here. Definite confirmation
was not, available, but incendiaries
were driven away from local ship
ward when the fires in Duluth and Su.
perior were burning at their height,
according to F. J. Longran, fire mar
shall and other city and state sofhcfals.
duluth and SupeEiorr are in no
further danger. Virginia is safe, and
Brainerd was untouched; However,
peat bog fires now are said to menace
the latter city. Bexmidji reported only
a small loss.
a special train of twenty coaches
brought 1900 refugees to Cloquet and
Carleton. They confirmed reports that
MANY persons lost their lives in those
towns. 'st ..: , :
Policeman's Tragic Story -
Albert Michaud. a special policeman,
told a tragic story Of Sthe burning ,of
resades At o'cIocK Saturday night a forest
ranger gave warning. fatfuhless the
wind died down the; e;townspeop1e buld
have to. fee" said: Aichaud. "A thick
pail Of smoke hung over the town.
VET :.The scene at the station was ,in-
describable. There came a. rush Of
wind, and the entire town was in
flames, The trains pulled out with the
fires blazing closely behind. them.
dren. while others cried frantically for
their missing ones. The flames licked
at the cars: Windows in the coaches
we're broken by the heat. The err
1ineers and firemen alternatelyNst
to give the boilers all the fuel they
could stand. -
Other trains we're hurredly. made
of fat cars, bog cars and; ANYTHING
that would roll Even then an. did not
get away. There are many dead in
CIonuet." 49,, -. es<t
Cloouet was a town with about $500
regulation. More than 400 persons
were brought to Duluth and Superior
from there alone.
Information brought in by rescue
parties here indicated that nearly one
hundred bodies have been found on
roads leading to Duluth Several
burned automobiles dIled with bodies
were passed by the, rescuera- Other
bodies are being brought from every
village and hamlet stricken by the
gale-driven dres.
The town Of Twig. on: the Miller
trunk road, was wiped out.
Other towns reported As being en-
tirely destroyed included, Rice Lake
Brooka.on.. Brevator. Corona. Adolph,
Aoy.iS...4 4.u 'o,i second Pr D. -.