Idaho County Free Press

PERILOUS
VOYAGE,
Exciting Experiences of Kirby Barnum in the Minnesota Forest Fires.

MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 14.—Kirby Barnum, who owns a farm near the Western border of the Great Red Lake Indian reservation in the northern part of the state, has just returned from a perilous trip down the Thief river, which skirts that reservation on the west. The trip was made in a small passenger steamer that plies between the Indian Agency and Red River Falls, a distance of 120 miles. Fully half the trip was made between walls of fire. Barnum says the flames jumped Thief river and cut a swath through a dense forest fully sixty miles wide. The whole country is aflame. The steamer was forced to go three and four miles at a time and then everybody would get off and stand in the water until the fire and heat had abated somewhat. Several times the boat was afire. The water in the river had been raised to such a temperature by the fire that its surface was covered with millions of dead fish. Bear, deer, and other large game were fleeing from the flames in great confusion. Many small canoe parties of Indians were encountered making their way down stream the best they could. There has probably been loss of life among them.

Barnum says the fire originated in a blaze set by a man who tried to get control of some hay land from the government, but failed, and hired two men to fire it. The flames soon spread to the forest and have been burning ever since.