99 Miscellaneous Circular 39, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture 
filled an honorable place among the with his mill foreman, A. McKale, and 
empire builders of the Northwest. a lew helpers, but not enough to op- 
Why I should have been asked to tell erate the fire equipments, remained 
you of their work I am at a loss to and faced the dangers of that night, 
understand, because I have labored and did much to prevent a greater loss 
with them at Cloquet, in preparation of industries. 
for this 15-minute talk, only about 40 The destruction was so complete 
years. that it can not be imagined. The heat 
Until the fall of 1918 the experience was so intense that everything burn- 
of Cloquet in timber utilization was able was completely destroyed, and the 
much like that of other lumbering hurricane of fire carried burning em- 
towns in the Lake States. Originally pers and ashes miles away. Witness- 
only large, well-developed trees were ing the conflagration, it seemed as 
cut. Then only such part as would though the very gates of hell had pre- 
make clear lumber. With changes in vailed against Cloquet and that the 
economic conditions, and increased place that knew her should know her 
prices of stumpage and lumber, utili- no more forever. 
zation in the woods became closer. It was hardly believable that her 
For many years only white pine was people should come back, but they did. 
logged, then Norway, and finally jack The early confusion was great. The 
pine and other species large enough railroad station and all traffic-handling 
for log timber. Further utilization fol- facilities were destroyed, and the first 
lowed as these industries came in turn, quick shipment of relief—provisions 
a ground-wood and print-paper mill, and materials—added to the conges- 
sulphite mill, box factory, and tooth- tion and confusion. 
pick factory. The number of large saw- The managers, with their masterly 
mills had increased to five, with an  gkill, worked wonders in hastily con- 
annual output of about 250,000,000 structing camps and shelter for their 
feet. Around these industries a city men. The greatest blow fell upon the 
of 10,000 people had grown. women and their families, All house- 
In the fall of 1918 it seemed that hold furnishings, clothing, and pro- 
the end of Cloquet as a large lumber- visions were destroyed. This calamity 
ing center was near. The Cloquet came on the threshold of a Minnesota 
Lumber Co. and the Johnson-Went- inter and with it an epidemic of 
worth Co., owning and operating three «fi» Mrs. R. M. Weyerhaeuser 
of the mills, had a remaining timber gensed the situation and quickly or- 
supply of only two years. The North- ganized relief work and met this first 
ern Lumber Co. had an estimated sup- gore need, and served under those 
ply for eight years. With the closing trying conditions at the risk of her 
of these mills would go in large meas- life, as only the white-robbed soul of 
ure the source of supplies for the womanhood can, in the spirit of the 
other wood-using industries. Master. Other women quickly rallied 
On the night of October 12, 1918, to her support, and Cloquet will for- 
came the terrible forest conflagration ever remain indebted to the sacrifice, 
that wiped out the entire residence courage, and vision of her women 
and business sections of the city, all through this trying ordeal. 
its schools but one, and all its churches This glimpse of Cloquet’s back- 
and public buildings, the entire mill ground is necessary to catch the deep 
plants and yards of the Northern gignificance of her new birth to 
Lumber Co., the planing mill and a forestry. 
large part of the lumber of the Clo- The officers and stockholders of the 
quet Lumber Co. The 10,000 inhabi- lumber companies were deeply touched 
tants fled, leaving all their personal by this return of their old employees, 
belongings to be burned. Only the and resolved to do everything in their 
wise action of Mr. Fauley, local agent power to give them employment and 
of the Great Northern and Northern lengthen the life of their industries. 
Pacific Railroads, in holding trains and What followed had its inception in 
putting into service every kind of car, this impulse, and has been a sort of 
prevented a great loss of life. In the evolution. 3 
neighboring regions there was a loss Some of the stockholders are not 
of some 300 lives. R. M. Weyer- sure which way this evolution is going. 
haeuser, president and manager of the With all due deference to Mr. Bryan, 
Northern Lumber Co.; H. C. Hornby, they see in it much that looks pain- 
president and manager of the Cloquet fully like monkey business. More 
Lumber Co., and his office manager, than two million of their dollars have 
Mr. H. G. Stevens; Mr. Wilson, man- been absorbed in experiments and 
ager of the Johnson-Wentworth Co., more must follow. Everywhere they