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VOLUME V.ASKOVPINE COUNTY ALSO INGREAT FOREST FIRELoss of Life in Entire District is Over 1,000—Property Damage Runs Into Millions—The City of Cloquet Laid in Ruins—Many Farm Homes Burned in Pine County.The greatest fire in the history of Minnesota has swept the northeastern part of the state the past few days. The Hinckley fire of 2-4 years ago —still fresh in the memory of old settlers was small compared to this, and the terrible tornado at Tyler of only a few weeks ago is entirely outshadowed. both as to loss ofhuman life and property damage.The fire commenced Saturday, Oct. 12th- a day which will go down in the history of Minnesota. With a gale of 60 miles an hour the fire had a splendid opportunity to spread. It appears that the fire originated at Taft, a small village 20 miles north of Duluth, but there were also lo-ca fires thruout the district which soon developed with the strong wind. The greater part of the damage was done Saturday night when about a dozen villages were laid in ruins, chief among which were Cloquet and Moose Lake. Cloquet. a city of 9.000 inhabitants was burned to the ground but only a few lives lost. The inhabitants were moved to Duluth on four special trains, box cars, coal cars, flat cars and anything available being used. Hut poor Moose Lake that is where the greatest suffering occured. The people there did not get away and the result is that about 500 lives were lost in and around that village, as well as the entire vicinity being laid in ruins.The total number of dear! in the forest fire district will he more than 1.000. Reports from Adjutant General W. F. Rhinow show that 800 bodies have been recovered or located in the woods. Of these 500 are in the Moose Lake district, 200 in the Duluth district and 100 at Cloquet.Pine County's LmsAltho Pine County is indeed fortunate compared to northern neighboring counties, there was one life lost at Bruno-and the property damage here will run up into several hundred thousand dollars. The center of Pine County—a line from Askov to Cloverton is the southern boundary of the great fire and south of this line there is no damage done.Kerrick is the only village in Pine County visited by the fire where several residences on the west side of the track were burned.One Fire Victim at Bruno.Mrs. Rav Fairchild living five miles east of Bruno, was burned to death in her home, her body being charred. Mr. Fairchild had been fighting fire near their home when all of a sudden the flames burst forth and everything was on fire. A hay stack near the house was one mass of flames. This was blown onto the house and Mr. Fairchild immediately ran to save his wife and four year old son. TTiey took some water soaked blankets and made for the door. In attempting to open the door Mrs. Fairchild pulled out the knob and the only other place of exit was a window. Mr. Fairchild pulled a bed over to a window and with the child in his arms jumped thru and ran. Upon discovering that his wife did not follow he turned back but could do nothing as the house was then one mass of flames.Run Thru Fin*.With the child in his arms. Mr. Fairchild ran ]\ miles to the Sandy Douglas place. Finding nobody at home he tried to kick open the door, intending to get in and telephone for help. But he was too weak to do this and fell in his attempt to do so. He then took a drink out of the water trough and with the child in his arms hurried on to the next farm home. Geo. L. Bristol, a half mile distant, where the folks were home and help was immediately summonedIt-is believed that of the 1’J miles Mr. Fairchild ran. | of a mile was thru smoke and flames. His eyes were entirely swelled shut from the heat and for the balance of the distance he could not see. Several times he rolled on the ground with the child in order to put out the flames on their clothing. When they arrived at the Bristol home every-ting hut about half of his undershirt was burned off Mr. Fairchild. Both he and the child will recover, altho Mr. Fairchild was dangerously ill. his face being terribly swollen. His eye sight however was not affected. The child was not burned as badly, it being protected by its father. Mrs. Fairchild, as above mentioned, lost her life in their home.Many Farm Home* I/M Near KerrJck, Bruno. Ukov,Following is a list of some of the farm homes wiped out by the forest fire in the region of Bruno and Kerrick: Peter Snyder, Domning. McCoy. Wm. Schrae-der. Frank Pavelka. G. Gage. Cleugh and Ray Fairchild; and following are those who lost all their buildings except house, and much live-stock hay and machinery in the samo vicinity: Jap Hill, Churchill. John Lohncr. Karl Howey, Krohn. Fred Rupp, John Nelson, Wm. Lepeer and Chas. G. Lindstrom.Those who burned out completely in the vicinity of Askov ire: Julius Slott, Andrew J.Larsen. Mrs. Mary Swanson. H. R Buck and Niels Oade.Tn the vicinity of Duxhury the Wheeler brothers and Abies have burned out completely.Much Hay Lout.Aside from the many buildings which have burned in Jhe northern and eastern part of Pine County there are hundreds and hundreds of tons of hay gone up in flames and a big loss of live-stock.As we go to press this morning they are still fighting fire in the vicinity of Cloverton and un-ap|helifee »to(anlt;SarC.kodrrdaGeiurfcal;terwhNo“Ylt;Thifeac a c to triltov
Newspaper Details
Askov American
Askov, Minnesota, US
Thu, Oct 17, 1918
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Jim I.
USA 02 Feb 2021
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