The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-29
THE FORESTS ABLAZE.
Raging Fires Threaten 70 En-
velop Bellingham Bay.
PAIL OF SMOKE ON The SOUND.
Forests Befnr De~snred all Through
the Lever SQUAD Coantry-
I've Bridges Burned.

Eorest rres are raging from the br4stsa
boundary south taroagh Whateom. Sxsgit,
snchomssh and King eo1ntlss and in the
| Olympic mountains and on Vancouver
Island, and an inesgimsble amount Of dam
age has been done TO standing timber.
The wind for the past tso days has been
south by west and the csEse smoke has
been driven into the lower country and
| has envssoped the whole Sound district IN
I vapor more diszgreeabie than fog. All
/ the steamers have been compelled 20 taSs
the same precautions IS II heavy fog had
/ settled on tbs waser--shey run slowly and
/ every fsw seconds sound their whistles 10
4 avoid collisions. All trains north on the
/ Great Northern and Lake Shore lines ran
4 on slow orders. and the headlights are
I kept iii the whole day.
/ During the whoie OF yesterday the city
I vas oppressed with hot, sliding smoke.
/ aggravated BY an unusually warm sun,
and u was with difficulty that objects
could be dlscerned q block away. IL was
/ generally supposed that the smoke came
/ from few comparatively small brush fires
/ along Lake Washington in the vicinity OF
/ the Madison park, but the smoke really
comes from the raging hres north. The
wall which went mp from the half-sufi0-
Gated pedestrians yesterday was pitiful 70
/ hear and the universal cry seemed 10 be:
when will 1t rain7"
The weather prophet has not yet been
I heard from, but the local observer last
| evening issued the following hopeful fore
| cast: "Wednesday: fair and decidedly
cooler"
| Along the BeIlingham bay railroad. run
ming irons Snmas 10 Whateom, the fires
seem TO be tue dereest. The smoke APP
| pears like an impenetrable wall, and,
| although the flames are not near enough
/ to stop traffic. travelling under such cir
| cumstaaces is decidedly unpleasant as ii
/ is almost as dark as night, with the heat
/ and stsaing odor of smoke added, Along
I the Lake shore line south TO this city the
/ heat Is almost unbearable, but no damage
| has as yet resulted 10 the railroad tracks.
| Trains run slowly and observe great care
| in approaching curves and crossing trestles
or bridges. In passing through the coun-
| try the whole of Skagit county appears TO
| be on fire. through the smoke in the dis
| lance reflections OF the iurid, angry flames
| being painfully visible It'll reported that
| the iires have extended to the SnoquaImie
| valley. but il is impossible TO get any
| authentic information from that quarter.
IL As in Whatcom county that the forest
fires appear to be doing the principal
damage. as the following special dispatch
tells:
wHArcox, Aug. 2s.-lspecial. l-At IL
/ O'Clock asst evening small brush fires in
/ the Eureka addition were famed into a
huge IRE by the strong northeasteTly wind.
! soon the flames bore down upon the city
/ near the end of + street. Citizens turned
/ out and fought back the flames from the
/ residences. The ire followed Squalicum
/ creek bed towards the bay, and early this
| morning the bridge over the creek, con-
Meeting the city with the Northwest
( diagonal road, Was destroyed. Ii was so
ieet long and 90 feet high. and cost 81 600
4 The fire department was called out AT
/ midnight, and spent the night near the
! woods preventing the encroachment Of the
/ flames upon residences. Eidridge's man
sion caught from spark blown from the
/ burning trees nearly half mile from the
/ house, AZ 10 a. IN. Ii was soon enve.oped
| In flames, only one hose cart being able to
reach the scene. Before the water was
/ turned on the ire was beyond control.
( The mansion was totally destroyed only
/ a small portion of the furniture
being saved. B1ilding and contents
| we're valued at $4,000, insurance $4,000
| Ii was the finest and largest house on
the Bay, containing thirty rooms. In
/ the Eureka addition, near the power
/ house, twenty houses are surrounded by
4 IRE, and the firemen have been working
| steadily for twelve hours. Along the line
4 of the Beiilngham Bay e British Colunl-
| bia TO the Nooksack there is a continuous
/ line OF fire. Several small houses along
! the outskirts have been destroyed, but il
Is impossible TO get full details. All COM
/ muBication with the country by the guide
meridian and Northwest diagonal roads
is cut of by the burning of connecting
bridges. AT 1.30 r. "a. tbs ire is under
oontro. at Henry street A big fire is rag
/ ing beyond sehome bill. and the city Is
/ completely enveloped. The IRE depart
| ment thinks IL Is under control The
1 schoolhouse and J. A. Cooks house at
/ Silver Beach have been destroyed The
| electric power house IS reported TO be safe.
/ The bridge across Little 50 salicum is
I aare. Business is suspended. The ciu-
zens are aiding the Ilremen every where.
A gentleman who came from Whatcom
| yesterday said Of the IRE:
"Secilon men along the railroad are
/ watching tresiles, aud. when / left. sew
/ ersl gangs of men we're preparing 10 patrol
| the tracks between bennetts aud Sehome
4 junction ali night II the wind increases
/ tonight the fires will get pretty well into
town aud dying sparks viii be apt To set
| Ere 10 the buildings. wharves and railroad
/ trestles. The smoke is sitting ana almost
| unhearahle"
/ A little rain would stop the progress Of
I the fires snd this is what the people all
4 over the burning districts are praying for
I The following dispatch shows the range Of
/ the fires 10 be greater than ct fret antlei-
pAsed:
Poxr TowSsEsB. Aug. 2s--Bg forest
/ hres in the olympic mountains and on
h Vancouver island have been burning for
i several days, and the Straits aud lower
/ Sound are snveloped IN thick cloud Of
smoke which obscarss the sun and en-
/ dangers navigation. The atmosphere Is
I fuii OF ash cindsrs, A fresh west wind has
/ driven the great volume OF smoke soath-
/ ward. Extensive hres are also burning
/ along the noFth side Of Hood canal and
{ IN Clsliam county. Between here aud
/ QaIlcene much valuable timber belonging
10 the mill companies has been destroyed.
/ wants Meaey Back with Damages