Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 September 1908 — FIRE FIEND MENACES [ARTICLE]

FIRE FIEND MENACES

Forest Conflagrations Break Out Anew in Minnesota, Fanned by the Wind. SEVERAL STOWS ARE IN PERIL Hibbing Is One of the Places That Are Now Threatened Twenty-Two Miles of Raging Flame* and the People Fighting Desperately for Their Property and Live*. Dultitb, Minn., Sept. B.—The Memba range is again threatened with the fire horror which swept away Chisholm on Saturday and wiped out thousands of acres of standing timber. After a day of quiet the flames which died down Sunday' were fanned into renewed fury again and are sweeping on toward Hibbing, Buhl and Nashwauk from the south. The town of Snowball. 100 Inhabitants, was completely destroyed by a fire that came upon it suddenly. The people had no opportunity to fight the flames, and fled in terror to the nearest locations. Snowball is about ♦wo miles from Nashwauk. Four More Towns in Peril.

Brooklyn, a small suburb of Hibbing, is threatened by fire, and If this portion of the town catches tiie rest is doomed. Buhl and Nasjiwauk. which were threatened with destruction Sat-u’-day, are again in danger, and the Hames are creeping slowly toward them. The citizens are fighting the on rushing flames desjierately. Aurora is entirely surrounded by forest fires, and the citizens are fighting the flames. The town is believed to -be safe unless a strong wind should rise fropi the north or south. Saved by Heroic Effort. Mitchell, a small town about one mile southeast of Hibbing, was threatened with destruction all day and was saved only by the heroic efforts of the inhabitants and the employes of the Duluth, Mesaba and Northern railway, whose roundhodlle is situated there. Several hundred men are still guarding the place. The pine timber which surrounds Mitchell has been almost en--tirely consumed. Twenty-Two Miles of Flames. Between Nashwauk and Hibbing, a region twenty two miles long, the forests are one continuous battle front of flames From Hibbing it is an appalling sight and big clouds of smoke have been pouring over the city ail day. hiding the sun as though the sky was overcast with rain clouds. Where Hibbing's Danger Lies. Northwest of Hibbing the flames have spread over a wide area of timber and the burning district is increasing rapidly Hibbing people are watching the progress of th'* fire to the south vtifb 'invious eyes. They are conscious of the fact that if the little suburb of lirobkhn burns their own city, the metropolis of the range, will also go up in smoke. A Great Northern rail way spur from Brooklyn to Kelly’s lake is the only harried to the flumes that are raging on the outskirts of the suburbs. If the fiery wall jumps this track and is fanned into the houses of Brooklyn nothing hut a deluge of rain can save the big town of Hibbing just beyond.