The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-09-08

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The word from White Bear that En-
gineer James Root will recover caused |
great rejoicing.
Knocked Down by Ball of Fire.
Grindstone lake. 10 miles north of
Hinckley has been the camping ground
for several summer parties from
Hinckley. This year large number OF
people were camped there, and, conee-
quently when fire was seen to be en-
croaching on Meals place, about mile
from one of the camps, several men
started for the scene, John Patrick and
Messrs. Ellsworth and Collins being
among the number. Four other men
were fighting the fire when they got
there, and il was supposed that they
could control Ii.
The relief party had hardly reached
the scene, however, when they discov-
cred flames shooting over the tops of
The timber back of their own camp.
Patrick started back along the shore,
while the others got into small skiff,
hoping to reach the camp before it was
overw helmed. While some distance
away they saw the women rushing
into the lake and the camp outfit going
up in smoke. Patrick hardly compre-
hended these things, however, as he
had not gone far before a bail of fire
darted across the lake over mile
wide, and knocked him down as it
passed onward to its work of destruc-
zion. When he recovered his senses
the fire was all about him and only a
narrow pathway through water at the
edge of the lake offered an avenue of
escape. AS he was splashing through
the water. stray dog fell in behind
him and marched along in his COM
pany.
They finally reached a place where
the road opened out from the lake and
here he met Il people who had been
fleeing through the binding smoke
ahead of the flames. All members of
the party threw themselves into the
lake and remained there until the
flames had passed over. None were
seriously injured, but all were so eX-
hausted as To preclude the possibility
of going further that night. They lay
on the Uanks of the lake until morning
and then started back over the road
toward Sandstone Junction. Patrick
has DOT seen or heard of them since.
Patrick, after passing an awful night,
was able to reach his family, overjoyed
at finding them unframed.
Eleven settlers, one woman with q
baby, got into an old canos and pad
died out into the lake, only to be nearly
destroyed by water after escaping from
the flames.
Several searching parties have been
sent cut today in different directions
looking for bodies. The work as the
cemetery today mas progressed rapidly.
| = a E,,...
bodies may be found in the mill ponC
at the northwest edge of town, but TIL,
sawdust is still on fire and it is impos
sible 10 reach the pond. Every branch
) Of local relief is moving along smoothly
A SANDSTONE FARMERS STORY
To Escape the DevourIng Flames III,
Jumped Into Dry Well.
; MINNEAPoLIs, Sept. A Duluth
Mimi, y special TO the Journal says
} Oliver Dubois, a Fren CHI Canadian
: farmer, living on the outskirts of TIL,
; village of Sandstone, is among the 25I
refugees from that stricken spot. HI
saved his life by jumping into the bot
tom of dry we'll, and was one of tn
> very few who took such refuge and die
| not find it a grave already dug. Hi
| experience was similar in many way
to that OF scores and hundreds of 9th
eIs, but it shows the fearful speed O
the flames.
Dubois was a little distance from hi
home when he heard in the south
mighty roaring and thought a.cyclon
y was coming. The black ness of the SIX,
Y added 10 the belief, and he ran still
i farther from he building to escape tn
: flying sticks that might come towar
4 him. He threw himself down at tn
root of stump, his head under a root
: Scarcely was he on the ground befOr
. the awful heat and fire showed that
n contended not with a cyclone, but wit
e flames. There was a we'll few fee
z away, into which he jumped. 1t wa
d II feet deep and was dry. Above hir
q lie could see a rolling cloud of flame
,, high IN the air and then down close t
q the ground. His position grew stifiin
e and the air seemed to be so exhauste
/ that he could only breathe by clawin
e a hole IN the damp earth and pressin
g his face against it. AS soon as on
\ place got too sitting he would max
II another little fresh spot. The we
q filled with smoke and gas, but after
u time he managed to climb out.
II al was so weak i could hardly walk,
said he, land for a few minutes Wa
dazed. l was shoeless, and could M
Is see the ground at my feet for the smok,
-s but l CROPPED my way to town. 1t bI
gan to grow lighter, so l could see tn
y street. / stood in the center of Sane
lie stone and called. Not a sound can
e. in answer l called again and again
A | / H., L.