The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-31
RAIN WILL FALL SOON
To Qnench the Fires and Clear
the Smoky Atmosphere.
The DANGER PAST AT wHATcom
Sorshern ps<fne Fighting 90 save Its
s1swsheds IN the Cascades
Alarm az wnk~sen-

ties and British Columbia .nalcase tAas
the fires In the forests are Aoaisng and
dying cot. bat the smoke on the sound
from Seattle 70 Vancouver island eontIn-
ues 90 be a. dense as ever. Rain Is fer
VenE.y prayed for by everybody from
Victoria 10 o.ympia and IL seems shat the
prayers Of the multitude are about 20 b
answered, for Observer Alcistore. who has
had = private conference with his superior,
the CLERK. said last evening that within
thirty-six hours the Pnget sound country
would BE visited hv rain. The damage IS
. result Of the fires 10 not great when taken
as . whole. bat the individual losses N
Nhatcom county quite heavy, mas
much as those who were IN line With
the ire are 70 moderate circumstances
and consequently not able 70 easily stand
the visitation.
In Whstcom county, while the weather
has been unusually dry and warm. the
fires seemed TO have burned themselves
out and are not spreading 20 an alarming
extent. Along the Great Northern road q
hsli-mile Of telegraph line vas burned out
yesterday, but last evening temporary
wires were stretched aud the line va. put
IN working order. Little or no damage
was done 70 the rolling stock, the loss of
single lat car on the line between Fern
dale ana Blame being reported. The OFF,
eials Of both the Great Northern and Lake
Shore roads DO not expect any further
trouble as resllt Of the fires.
Observer Aiciatore. in announcing that
the Puget sound country would be visited
with q rain storm within thirty-six
hours. said last evening:
"Since morning there has been gem
a Fafg fst~
ail the Pacific coast states; the greatest
fall being In Washington and Oregon.
This evening the barometer was consider
ably below average at all stations. there
seeming TO have been a combination OF
two areas of low barometer. The one
thing that makes me hopeful for rain is
the fact that on the California coast the
| barometer has remained stationary. From
experience | know that in the majority OF
] instances where the barometer is higher
| in California than in Oregon We may look
| for rain on Puget sound within thirty-six
hours. The southerly winds drive the
moisture from the ocean TO DO condensed
on the westerly side of the mountains.
But the best indication Of rain is the pres
ence of anti-cyclone of the California
coast with low barometer in the vicinity
Of Vancouver island.
During today light showers tell in East
ern Oregon and Idaho"
The following dispatch shows that the
people OF Whatcorn have about recovered
from their fear that the fires would wipe
out the town;
wHsTcon, Aug. s0-lspecial. The
smoke IN the city this morning was thicker
than az any time since 1889, and nothing
is discernible st q greater distance than a
block. The nre on the north of the city is
not menacing. To the east. however, near
| York addition, IL continues TO burn
| herceiy, bat will not reach the city unless
! n wind springs mp. The county commits
| sioners had force of twelve men at work
| on the guide meridian road last night, and
| eli fires in the planklng were extinguished.
| There 10 constant danger. however. of its
| being reklndled. George q. Curtis, at
| Wiser lake, lost his house and barn, and
| TillmAn. who lives IN the same vicinity.
lost his barn and twenty tons of hay. The
peat lands north of Lynden ana east of
| DE IA are on tlre. and the premises OF Chris
| Emory were burned oat. Nothing out
I heavy rain will stop the burning of the
/ peat lands In which the potatoes are being
| roasted and fruit trees destroyed. Elder
/ son. on the north fork. lost barn and
/ twenty tons of hay. No county bridges
! are reported lost. but the mmIssioners
/ are not taking any chances and have a
Waterman stationed At each one. The
| board vail order the grading OF the burned
I portion OF the guide meridian road. The
damage 10 the county. as Tar as known. is
| estimated at 5000. This morning as the
| Beihngham Bay i British Columbia local
/ train was going To Sumas 4 burning tree
| fell over the track directly in front OF the
| locomotive. near Van Wyek. The engine
/ crashed through. sustaining no damage
1 beyond demolishlng the pilot The street
/ cars resumed running on regular time this
morning.
TACOMA. Aug. So-The SUBMITS of
I Stampede mountain and other foothills of
the Cascades along the Northern Pacific
| are ablaxe. The railroad has hri men AZ
work with two mountain engines and hose
I 20 protect the sBoNsheds aud other prop
I erty this side OF Stampede tunnel There
/ is no danger Today the ire is raging
near the mining town of Nilkeson, and
/ the 81 Pant & Tacoma Lumber Company
/ has a force OF men lighting IL.
PoEr TOWNSEND. Aug. 81 Special. +
The smoke as much more intense todsy
on the lower Sound than heretofore. The
fresh wind which has been blowing for
the last three days has subsidized. causing
the smoke TO settle down and 10 become
very stihing and injurious 10 the eyes.