Chapter X: Part 1: p. 79-80.)

Of such calamities, one of the worst that is on record is that
known as the Peshtigo fire, which, in 1871, during the same
month, October, when Chicago was laid in ashes, devastated the
country about the shores of Green Bay in Wisconsin. More than
$3,000,000 worth of property was burnt, at least two thousand
families of settlers were made homeless, villages were
destroyed and over a thousand lives lost. (Bruncken, p. 110.)

The most destructive fire of more recent years was that which
started near Hinckley, Minn., September 1, 1894. While the
area burned over was less than in some other great fires, the
loss of life and property was very heavy. Hinckley and six
other towns were destroyed, about 500 lives were lost, more
than 2,000 persons were left destitute, and the estimated loss
in property of various kinds was $25,000,000. Except for the
heroic conduct of locomotive engineers and other railroad men,
the loss of life would have been far greater.

This fire was all the more deplorable, because it was wholly
unnecessary. For many days before the high wind came and drove
it into uncontrollable fury, it was burning slowly close to
the town of Hinckley and could have been put out. (Pinchot,