Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-06-04
FORESTS In FLAMES.
Fearful Fires Raging in the Great Oil
Regions of Pennsylvania.
Enormous Destruction Of Property
Homeless Hundreds-Many Mar
row Esoapes-Woods Still
Blazing.

Bradford, Pa, June 4.-Fires at Russell
City, last night, drove terror to the hearts
of the 500 inhabitants.
At 10 O'Clock brisk west wind famed
the burning underbrush and hemlock
timber into solid mass of fire, covering
three miles wide. The flames spread SO
rapidly that the people had to leave
everything and run to the clearing, two
miles distant. Women, with children in
their arms, shrieking and bemoaning
their fate, ran and stumbled as they es-
capped from the fire. Many women fell
exhausted and were trampled on, but all
reached highland IN safety.
Nothing is left of the once hustling
little place. The Northern OIL company
has twenty oil wells and number OF
tanks burning there now, and there is no
,abatemcnt in the fury of the flames. 1t
,is impossible to estimate the loss. The
woods leading to Clark's Mills are
ONE MASS OF FLAMES
on both sides of the road and how peo-
pie, who live along the road, could have
escaped is beyond comprehension. There
is no communication Of any description
with this place and no news is obtainable
from there, but there is no doubt that
everything has been burned in the path
of the fire. Every available man is out
fighting the fire and there are not hall
enough. There is fire in every direction
and all efforts to check its progress seem
futile.
Coon Run, three miles from Russell
City, which was wiped out yesterday
afternoon, was entirely obliterated. The
place consisted of twenty-seven buildings
pump station, school house and saw mill
A. B. Fowler, superintendent of the
Northern Oil company, says that while he
and his men were "back-firing" a stiff
breeze from the west came up like magic
and in less time than it takes to tell il
the fire was upon them. They ran te
town and aroused the people to
FLEE FOR THEIR LIVES.
Men, women and children made wilt
race for the railway track, distance o
five miles, while the flames played havoc
with all their belongings. The Northern
company's loss is forty oil wells at thit
place and large number of rigs bull
for new wells. About twenty-five tanks
of oil were consumed.
The fire at Ormsby is raging more fierce
ly than ever this morning. The place Ii
without water protection and the fame'
are devouring large area of standing
timber. The saw mills and number o
houses have been consumed. A stiff
breeze is blowing and there is no telling
what the outcome will be.
STILL RAGING T1ERoELY.
The fire reported at Knapp's Greek
still raging and has done a large amour
of damage. 1t has spread to Bells Cam
and thirty-five oil wells there are now o.
fire. Reports from Duke Centre stat
that the entire valley is on fire and tn
loss to oil and lumber mon will b
enormous. Kansas Branch, Ricksfort
Davis City, Summit City, Dallas City, @
Valley, Lime Stone, State Line, Derric
City and Red Rock are all in it and unlea
rain soon falls will be destroyed.
Skyni is black with smoke and tn
mountains are hidden. The heat is il
tense. Men are still fighting the fire q
Degolia and apparently have it unde
control. Nothing has been learned fror
West Branch, where brisk fire is burr
ing. Everything at Sugar Run, includip
the saw mills and dwellings, is burne
and nothing remains of the place. Tn
fire at Brookstone is still burning tiercel
and there is no prospect of checking tn
spread of the flames. 1t is impossible
get men and consequently the fire make
rapid headway.