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Show TOWNS WIPED OUT Bl FOREST FERES Several Counties in Northern Wisconsin and Minnesota Swept by Flames. CHISHOLM, TOWN OF 4000. IS UTTERLY DESTROYED Loss Will Run Into Millions of Dollars; Thousands of People Peo-ple Homeless. DULUTH, Minn., Sept. 5. Thousands Thou-sands of ncrcs of agricultural land and millions of feet of standing timber were laid waste, one town was wiped out, three more towns may have been destroyed, de-stroyed, several mining locations were burned and at least ten thousand persons per-sons arc homeless tonight as the result of forest fires, which swept through many districts in northern Wisconsin and northern Minnesota 1 his afternoon and tonight. Cliisholin, Minn., ninety miles north of Dtiluth. was completely destroyed. Tho only building sranding is the now $125,000 high school. The hvs there alono is estimated at $2,000,000. Nashwauk, Minn., fifty miles northwest north-west of Dnluth, is surrounded by flames and the outskirts of the town are burning. burn-ing. Buhl. Minn., twelvo miles cast of Chis-holin, Chis-holin, is cut off by the tires that are bearing down on the town. Other Towns in Danger. Wrcnsehall, twenty miles northwest of Dulutli, faces a wall of flames that is sweopiug toward the village. It appears ap-pears to be doomed. Several small settlements set-tlements in Douglas county. Wisconsin, have been burned and forest fires are swoeping the northern part of the county. coun-ty. A lire at Ba3'fiold, Wis., damaged buildings to the extent of $75,000. Chisholm, Minn,, a town of 4000 people, peo-ple, ou the Mesaba iron 'range, niuct3' miles north of Duluth, was complete' wiped out. Hibbing, five miles from Chisholm, was surrounded by forest tires tonighU and thc-e.ify was in danger until the wind shifted. Tho entire uorthern portion of Douglas county, Wisconsin, is on fire, and several small settlements' have been destroyed. Ren-shaw, Ren-shaw, a village twentj'-five milC3 west of Dulutli, was surrounded 1)3" fires ear-ly ear-ly tonight and there is no hope for tho town. Hundreds Are Homeless. Hundreds of farmers havo been driven from their homes 1)3' the flames, nnd ns tho passage along the rondwa-is rondwa-is ' diflicult owing to the dense smoke and 'tho heat of tho burning forests, it is believed that somo lives may havo been lost, although none has been reported. re-ported. A firo at Bayfield;. Wis., starting start-ing in a lumber 3'ard, damaged two docks and the lumber properties to tbc extent of $700,000. The most destructive of tho many forest for-est tires was that which embraced Chisholm Chis-holm in its fiery grip and completely destroyed de-stroyed it. For'threo da3's the dry woods have been ou fire west and north of the town nud small bush fires were reported to the eastward. Gradually these closed in upon the doomed town, but no danger was felt b3r tho citizens, as tho town is protected on tho cast by the Long Year lake, a small body of water, and there aro many mining locations to tho west, in which1 district tho citizens believed the advancing flames would bo stopped. At uoon today tho three walls of fire joined, making a semi-circle of threatening threat-ening flames which swept toward tho little mining town with a rush and a roar. The hot brenth of the conflagration conflagra-tion was felt as the advancing flames rolled over the hills licking up every tree, stump and every vestigo of plaut growth, and sending up a hurncano el-red-hot brands that fell upon tho doomed town. , At tho first advent of these flaming couriers the citizens of Chisholm went forth to light the flames. The firo department de-partment was uot ablo to covor a largo territory, and although intermittent blazes started by firebrands wero quickly quick-ly extinguished, tho wall of the lire rolled onward toward tho town, and citizens soon realized that its destruction destruc-tion was inevitable. So quickly did tho firo communicate to the outlying buildings that tho citizens did not havo time lo savo any of their household goods or personal effects. Saved Only Their Lives. The pooplo had amplo time to os-capo os-capo with their lives, and soon roads leading from the town were Ui rouged with tho fleeing pcoplo in wagons, on horses, and on foot. There aro tAvo ronds from Hibbing to Chisholm and tho most direct was in tho path of tho lire, necessitating travel by waj of tho longer road. Conveyances were at a --oniium. A foreigner with a small wagon and ono horsy offered to take a woman and three small children to Hibbing for $25. A man overheard tho conversation and, drawing a revolver, ho pointed it; at tho foreigner's head, and climbing into the rig compelled him to drive the part3 over the fire zone. May Fisher, when tho citizens began to Icuvc tho burning town, refused lo go witli her companions. compan-ions. They wero forcod to Apc for their lives and she was left behind, SIio has not been seen since. Oscar LaFrauco. editor of the Chisholm Chis-holm Tribune, was in his oflice. and above him tho roof was in flames bo-fore bo-fore he was apprised of his dancer. He was compellod to break ti window to escape. Business men ran homo to got their families and inanj' separations occurred, oc-curred, as they, in turn, fled toward tho business district. Consternation rci"ned, but as tho road leading out of tho citv was without; the fire zone, and the pall of smoke did not hang as heavily as over tho burning towns, recognition was easier and families were soon reunited. re-united. The Grcnt; Northern, the only road running into Chisholm, took fifteen box cars crowded with homeless pcoplo to Hibbing this evening, where, tho citizens citi-zens are throwing open their houses, and tents aro being supplied to caro for the refugees, who nre entering thy cil3' b3' hundreds. v |