The sun., 1918-10-14
800 TO 900 ARE
PROBABLY DEAD
IN FOREST FIRE
Duluth and Superior Men
aced by Flames Now In
der Control.
THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES
Rumors Are Circulated That
Disaster Was Caused by
Enemy Agents.
THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES

DULUTH, MIMI. Oct. 13.--with prob
ably between 500 and 900 persons dead,
thousands homeless and without cloth
ing and with property damage mount
ing into millions Of dollars, whole sec
lions OF northern Wisconsin and Min
nesots timberland tonight are smoul-
dering, fire stricken areas. with charred
ruins of abandoned. depopulated towns.
The bodies of 1876 victims lie in
Duluth morgues. Hundreds more along
the roads leading to Duluth and
Superior lie where raey fell when over
taken by the fire.
Twelve thousand homeless and penni-
Tess refugees. all in need. more or less, of
medical attention, are quartered In hos
pitfalls, churches, schools. private homes
and In the armory here. while doctors
and nurses sent from surrounding COM
munities attend them. and nearly every
able bodied man in the city has been
eonscripted to fight the flames. which
now are reported to be dying away.
Incendiarfes Driven Away.
Reports that the holocaust resulted
from the work of enemy agents we're
circulated here tonight. Definite con-
hrmation was not available, but incen-
diaries were driven away from local
shipyard when the fires In Duluth and
Superior were at their height. according
to r. ]. Longren. Fire Marshal, and
other city and State officials.
Reports reaching here by courier told
Of widespread destruction, but 1t was
evident that in most instances the fury
Of the flames was spent. Duluth and
Superior are in no further danger. Nir-
ginia is safe and Brainerd was un-
touched. However. peat bog fires no"
are said to menace the latter city. Ber-
midi reported only small loss.
Greatest loss of life and property
damage are believed to have occurred In
the Cloquet region. where number OF
towns have been destroyed and all semi
fma settlements virtually wiped out.
Warned by Forest Ranger.
Albert Michaud, a special policeman
cold a tragic story, Of the burning oil
tloauet and of the mad rush OF Its
residents to escape.
"At 6 O'Clock last night a forest
ranger gave warning tina. unless the
wind died down the townspeople woulo
have to flee" said Michaud. "A thick
pall of smoke hung over the town and
at o'clock the special trains were
called.
THE scene at the station was In
deecribable. There came rush or wind
and the entire town was in flames. The
trains pulled out with the fires blaz-
ing closely behind them. Women wep'
Nd III tn thalr rhildran while OtheTE
cried frantically for their missing ones
The flames licked at the cars. Windows
In the coaches were broken by the
heat"
Cloquet had about 1900 population
More than 100 persons were brought II
Duluth and Superior from there alone
Information brought IN by rescue parties
indicated that nearly 100 bodies hav'
been found on roads leading to DuIuth
Several burned automobiles filled will
bodies were passed by the rescuers
The town of Twig. on the Miller truni
road, was wiped out. Other towns re
ported as being entirely destroyed in
clude Rice Lake. Brookston. Brevator
Corona, Adolph, Thompson, Arnold
Moose Lake and Wright.
Adtutant-General w. r. Rhinow. 81
Paul, supervising relief work. estimates
tonight that more than 400 lives wer
lost in Moose Lake and its immediat
vicinity.
Duluth and Superior were not def
nltely out of danger until to-day. Prop
srty damage wrought yesterday vii
total more than a million dollars.
Automobile parties dashed through 9
wall Of flame to rescue 200 tuberculosii
patients at the Nopemlng Sanitarium
which was partially destroyed. The pa
tlents were taken out with greatest diff
Guilty. fire having partially cut off thu
retreat, but It was said tonight prob
ably none would suffer Ill effects.