The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-11
LOSSES IN FOREST FIRES,
Damage In the Puget Sound
Country VIII Reach
Millions.
Vast Areas of Standing Timber and
Many Buildings Have Been
Destroyed.

OLYMPIA, WASH, Aug. 1o.-It is i'm
possible to determine the actual loss of
property by forest fires at this time. A
number of reporters have penetrated the
burned district with orders to make an es-
innate of the losses and ascertain full par
ticulars. Not one of them has returned.
Whether there is any loss of life cannot at
this time be positively stated, but it is
feared such is the case, as numerous clear
ings have been made through the country
covered by the fire. Each clearing repre-
sents from one to five persons. Adults are
accustomed to running fires, but in this
instance il is feared their knowledge will
avail them little, as the flames have
jumped in every direction, and back-firing
(the settlers salvation) has been of little
use.
The waters OF the sound are still over
hung with mantle of smoke, more dense
in its obscureness of shore lines than GUS
tomary dense fogs. Navigation is ex-
tremely dangerous. The steamers plying
between sound ports and coastwise keep
their whistles blowing just as though a fog
was on.
Reports from the northwestern part of
lue CldtC SuOW LUdI Inc HIeS dIc
on both sides of the sound. The Olympic
range, coastwise, has experienced its worst
fire in the history of the trappers or settlers.
To the east, across the sound, millions of
acres have been burned over. Here the
same section was devasted by fire in 1858,
during the Caribou excitement. From the
iron posts marking the dividing line be-
tween British Columbia and the United
States, the fire has gone south toward the
Oregon line and east to the wheat plains.
All the mountain tops within the timber
line are either leaping flames or smolder-
ing relics of the fires path. Rivers have
been no impeachment.
Neighborhoods have turned out en-
masse to combat the fire, only to find
sparks carried far beyond their safety-line
and roaring sea of flames in the distance.
How much the numbering industry has
been damaged cannot even be coniectured,
but. considering the number of mills fitted
with expensive machinery, it is safe to say
the amount will go well into the millions
on this alone.
The damage in the eastern part of
Chehalis County is great. Full particulars
cannot be obtained. A dispatch from
Montesano to-day gives the following
losses in Chehalis County: Daniel Gillies,
damage to engine and logging road, about
$500; William Mackey, all of buildings,
except residence and growing crops, value
unknown; Murray Schoome. house, about
$500; T. q. Slater, lost everything except
shingle-mill, including drykiln, residence,
out buildings and 800 cords of shingle
bolts, in all valued at not less than $1,000;
Wright, living on upper Satsop, lost every
thing except his home; Metealf Bros. had
two or three miles of fence burned.
The losses about Olympia are hard to
reckon, but including destroyed single
mills, farms and logging railroads will
reach over 81, 100000.
Mosher & McDonald's big shingle-mill,
reports tonight say, was not burned.
Every stick of Simpsons mill was burned.
Several horses were killed, but the men
escaped with their lives and buried their
effects in the earth to save them. Lumber
was shipped from here to-day to rebuild
the big camp. The camps and mills
owned by Bordeau, Ellis, Reid and Will
Hanson in the forests are being protected,
but may be attacked tonight. Toward the
south the fire seems spent