The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-06-06
A TOWN WIPED OUT.
Forest Fires Raging In the vi
cinity Of Bradford, Pa.
OTHER VILLAGES THREATENED.
OIL Rigs and Forests Being Swept Away
by the Fiercs Flames-Peopie Fleeing
Before the Fire to Places of Safety
OIL Pumpers Missing.

BRADFORD, Pa June Coon Run,
a small settlement ten miles south of
here in the heart of the oil fields, has
been wiped off the face of the earth by
the flames. People had to flee for their
lives, and great excitement prevailed.
The fire came so suddenly that many
women and children were panic.
stricken and became unable to move,
and had to be carried teplaces of safety
in the olearings.
Passengers over the Pittsburg and
Western road say the woods for ten
miles in the oil field is a roaring rnass Of
flames. Conductor Tanks says the pso-
pie on the oil leases are fleeing for
safety, but the fire spread so quickly
that he cannot see how all of them
could have been saved. Several oil
bumpers are missing
The woods about Ormsby is on fire
and q number of oil rigs have been de-
stroyed. All communication has been
cut off. Fires are reported along the
New York, Lake Erie and Western rail
road as far as Allegheny, N. Y.
On the Buffalo, Rochester and Pitts
burg road, at Dent, the property Of the
Emery Oil company is threatened, Oil
rigs all through that section have been
burned, as well as millions of feet of
standing timber The most fear' is felt
at Routherford Run, where 900 pounds
Of nitroglycerin is stored
A telephone message via Olean, N.
Y, from Knapp's Creek, says that the
leases of Messrs. Burns, Russell and
Curtis have been fireswept and 50,rigs
are destroyed. Several dwelling houses
have burned, and should any wind arise
it will likely carry the flames, to
Knapps Creek and destroy the town.
Knapp sCreek is located midway on. the
mountain between Bradford and Olaan
on the w. N. Y. q p. railroad and has
a population of 1000.
AT the state line, on the Western
New York and Pennsylvania railroad,
seven dwellings, towether with their
contests, and a large amount of lumber
have teen consumed. A lumber camp
composed of seven dwellings at OIL
Valley junction was destroyed, together
with thousands of dollars worth Of
lumber.
The fire may now be said to extend
over the entire northern oil field of
Pennsylvania. 1t is impossible as yet
to give any computation of the damage
or the number of deaths, on account of
the great scope of country which the
| fire covers.
A Russell City special says: Every.
thing between Coon Run and Russell
City is burned, including all rigs and
tanks of the Elk Oil company station
and Standard pump station. Fire has
crossed the railroad north Of Russell
and is sweeping everything before d
with strong wind from the west. II
they don't get a change Russell City
will be wiped out.
A Kane, Pa, special says: Never be.
fore has this place been threatened with
so much destruction. The forests hava
been on fire since Saturday and al
efforts to check the flames have proven
unavailing The fire has spread tC
West Kane, the heat being so intense
that the fighters were driven back, anG
the people began to desert their houses
for places Of safety. Every spring il
dried up and the place is at the mercy
of the flames. The fire is now raging
in the oil field and has burned the oi
well rigs owned by the Griffith com
pany. The Union Oil company has los
six rigs and three tanks Of oil. Jane,
Campbell's sawmill and over 1000, ,0Ot
feet of logs have been DESTROYED.