THE FIRE

October 7, 1910

A forest fire was going on for weeks in Minnesota in September and October, 1910. Baudette and Spooner were working with sawmills and there was close to 2,200 people working in them. West of Baudette there were big fires. On October 4 the fire burned the town called Graceton down. Then the fire burned towards Baudette.

Baudette caught on fire the evening of October 7. They could only use boats or trains to get to safety (The car bridge was not built yet). The people in Rainy River sent a train across the train bridge to rescue the people of Baudette. Some sick people were taken to Rainy River on stretchers. The fire threatened to burn the town of Rainy River. The wind changed and blew the fire a different direction and Rainy River was saved. The fire burned alot of the country around the towns and lots of settlers died because of the fire.