The sun., 1918-10-15
81 TOWNS, THOUSAND
LIVES, FIRES TOLL
Vast Quantities Of Timber and
Crops Lost In Minnesota
Disaster.
THOUSANDS HOMELESS
Searchers Find Bodies Of 800
in the Moose Lake Sec
ton Alone.

DULUTH, MINI, Oct. 14.-Twenty- one
towns were destroyed. probably 1000
lives lost and vast quantities Of timber
and crops swept away by the forest
ores in northeastern Minnesota Saturday
and Sunday. The towns totally or partly
Kettle River. LAWYER. Adolph. Munger,
FIVE Corners. Harvey, Grand Lake,
Maple Grove. Twig, Barnum, Mathews,
Atkinson, French River. Clifton, Carrie
ton, Brookston, Brevator, Pike Lake and
Pine Hill.
The monetary loss at Cioduet, accord
ing to the estimate OF business men OF
that city. was s12.000.00o.
Gov. Burnquist and Adj Gen. Rhluow
arrived here tonight and Immediately
went into conference with W. A. Nc
Tonasle, chairman OF the Northern Dis
trict OF Red Cross. and A. c. Weiss. Du-
nth, member of the Public Safety Com
mission, to consider means of caring for
refugees.
NoosE LAKE, MinL., Oct i<.--Men
and women of the Moose Lake district
OF Minnesota, driven by Are from their
homes, penniless, many OF them wearing
clothing furnished by charitable relief
workers, tonight took up the search for
their dead.
Barred by the military authorities
from leaving the city, they wandered
between long lines of bodies In the i'm
provtsed morgues here. searching for
loved ones who have not been heard
from since the forest Ares laid waste
this section Of Minnesota and a portion
OF northern Wisconsin four days ago
loft rrt1 At In
tervals brought in more and more bodies
and the vigil OF the watchers continued
throughout the night
searchers Are TfreIess.
During the last twenty-four hours
the bodies of 400 victims have been
found in the charred no mans land,
which before the tire formed the shores
OF Moose Lake and Kettle River. The
majority OF the bodies some OF which
were taken to Duluth. were so badly
charred that Identification will be DIFF
ficult. Searchers have been on duty for
ten hours. but there has been as yet no
slackeu!ng OF the pace or shortening Of
intervals at which the bodies are
brought in.
AdJt Gen. Rhinow tonight estimated
that the number Of dead in the MOOSE
Lake and Kettle River regions alone
might reach 500. These. with the other
dead from adjoining regions. will, II -
believed. swell the iist near to the l 900
mark.
Improvised hospitals here and the per-
manent institutions at Duluth are car
ing for thousands Of more or less in
tured refugees, many Of whom are in
critical condition.
The force Of rescue workers will be
doubled Tomorrow. Gen. Rhinow said
Up to this time only the main roads have
been explored. 1t has been Impossible
% search the great areas OF farm land
laid waste by the hre, and that search
IS expected to result in the finding Of
hundreds more victims in the ruins or
their destroyed homes
Many persons also are believed TO
have been drowned in lakes In which
they took refuge from the terrific heat.
thinking the fire might pass them by
Many refugees here, In a serious con-
ditiou from exposure. said they stood for
hours in ice cold water while the flames
RACED above them.
Had Only Moments Warning.
given but a moments warning before
them. A pail or smoke had hung over
the countryside for hours, and a ma
jorty believed rhe holocags. TO be
merely the "faI! fires which are ar
lual occurrences. When the danger be-
came apparent they rushed into cellars
or huddled together wherever a slight
depression in ground seemed to promise
protection.
WHoie families have been found suffo-
Gated, their bodies burned beyond rerog-
milton. In a majority OF instances.
physicians say, death was caused by
sufrocation and was mercilfuIy preceded
by Inconsistencies.
No further danger IS antici pated, al
though the coutla grafton continues in
isolated areas. Fires south and south
west OF Cass Lake, driven by a high
wind. we're said to be gaining tonight
with the city directly in the path OF the
flames, but il was believed efforts OF the
ftre fighters would prevent them from
attaining serious proportions.