48 Report of the Forest Commission. 



dazed by the catastrophe, and the night was spent in an endeavor to find 

 relatives or ascertain their whereabouts. Communication with the outer 

 world was cut off for hours as completely as if they were on a desert island. 

 The lire had spent its force, but the air was filled with smoke, through which 

 gleamed the dull blaze of smouldering fire in the more substantial stocks of 

 goods Two huge heaps of coal, which marked the location of the Duluth 

 coal sheds, were blazing, and by the fitful light people wandered about pick- 

 ing out the places where only six hours before their homes had stood. 



(From the New York Tribune, Sept. 5, 1894.) 



Duluth, Minn., Sept. 4. — The death roll resulting from the forest fires 

 increases, and now more than 650 persons are known to be lost, the greater 

 part women and children. The greatest percentage of deaths occurred among 

 settlers, where whole families were swept out of existence in the twinkling of 

 an eye. In every part of the fire-swept district the finding of bodies hourly 

 swells the list. Ei ] rly this morning a party of 30 experienced woodsmen left 

 here by special conveyance to scour the woods for bodies of settlers in out-of- 

 the-way cabins and clearings. They are expected to bring back appalling 

 reports. 



In a stretch of territory 26 miles long, and from one to 15 miles wide, not a 

 single human habitation has been left standing, except a section house at 

 Miller ; and in every part of the track of the flames the bodies of men, women, 

 children, horses and cattle were found. The position of everybody found out- 

 side of Hinckley shows that shelter of some kind was sought by the agonized 

 sufferers, and the dead are found in holes behind overturned stumps, trees, 

 marshy depressions and in every water course. 



The general shape of the fire-swept district is like a huge cigar, with a 

 southwestern end about Mission Creek, and the upper terminal a few miles 

 east of Finlayson or Rutledge. From this a number of branches extend north- 

 ward beyond the tracks of the Eastern Minnesota Railway. The work of the 

 flames has been complete and cyclonic in character. Where the fire raged 

 not a single tree is standing except as a blackened stump. Thousands of over- 

 turned trees are lying prostrate, and the roots were burning fiercely up to last 

 night, when the welcome rain fell. At Brookdale, a little town on the Eastern 

 Minnesota Railroad, south of Hinckley, about 90 persons took refuge in the 

 water of a small creek. Out of this place 67 dead bodies were taken and 

 buried. 



It is reported that the settlement at Sand Lake, nine miles west of Finlayson, 

 containing about 100 Finns, is wiped out. If so, the people are probably dead. 

 Pine Lake, two miles toward Finlayson, is all right, and so the other town 

 may be safe. 



Another town has fallen a prey to devouring flames, making nine in all that 

 have been consumed. The village of Granite, on the Omaha road, two miles 

 south of Baronette, is the latest victim. A good share of the town, a saw-mill 

 and 5,000,000 feet of lumber were consumed. No lives were lost. 



The mail agent on the Omaha northbound train, which arrived here last 

 night, said that the face of the entire country is so completely changed by the 



