Evening star., 1895-06-04
FIGHTING THE:FLAMES
Great Destruction in Northwestern
Pennsylvania.
VILLAGES ENTIRELY OBLTTERATED
Oil Wells, Derr c'<s and Pipe Lines
Ruined.
PEOPLE FLEEING FOR SAFETY

BRADFORD, Pa, June 4-Elk county
has experienced a number of destructive
forest fires, but those of Sunday and yes
terday surpass them all. The fire at Rus
sell city last night was one that drove
terror to the hearts of the five hundred
people who inhabit the place. At 10 o'clock
a brisk west wind sr:ang up and famed
the burning underbrush. and the hemlock
timber into one solid mass of fire, cover
ing stretch of three miles in width The
people, who were about exhausted from
fighting the flames for the past three days,
were forced to flee for their lives.
The flames spread so rapidly that the
people had to leave everything and run to
the clearing two miles distant to Highland
Corners Women with children in their
arms shrieking and bemoaning their fate,
ran and stumbled as they escaped from the
trampled on, but finally reached Highland
In safety. Nothing is left Of the once
hustling little place.
The fire Is still burning fiercely anon 6
the oil wells. The Northern Oil Company
have twenty oil wells and number of
tanks burning at this place now, and there
is no abatement of 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 the people 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 of everything having been burned
in the path of the fire, as there was no pro-
lection of any kind. Every available man
is out fighting fire and there are not half
enough.
There Is fire in every direction, and all
efforts to check Its progress seem futile.
Destruction of Coon Run.
Coon Run, three miles from Russell City,
which was wiped out yesterday afternoon,
was entirely obliterated from the face of
the earth, and nothing remains to show
that there ever was such a place as Coon
Run. The place consisted Of twenty-seven
buildings, pump station. school house and
saw mill
A. B. Fowler. superintendent of the
Northern Oil Company, says, while he and
his men were at work "back-firng' a stiff
breeze from the west came up as like
magic, and in less time than 1t takes to
tell it the fire was upon them. They ran
to the town and aroused the people to flee
for their lives. Men, women and children
a distance Of five miles. while the flames
played havoc with all their belongings.
The Northern Oil Company lost forty
Gil wells at this place and a large number
of new rigs that had been built for new
wells About twenty-five tanks of oil were
consumed and lent energy TO the flames.
The Elk Oil Company is also a heavy
loser
The pipe lines lost both their pump sta
tions with quantity Of crude oil. The
less will be very great. No estimates can
be made until the fires abate.
The fire at West Kane, which threatened
the destruction of that place Is now under
control. The damage done was the burn
ing Of nine oil we'll rigs, owned by the
Griffith estate, one engine house and one
dwelling house.
ha G,,e ~, t, .%,l
raging, and mas done a large amount of
damage. The fire has spread to Bells
camp and thirty-five oil wells are now on
fire.
Entire Valley on Fire.
Reports from Duke Center state that the
entire valley Is on fire, and the loss to oil
and lumber men will be enormous.
Kansas Branch, Rifford, Davis City, Sum-
nit City, Dallas City, Oil Valley, Lime
stone, State Line, Derrick City and Red
Rock are all in it, and unless rain falls
soon there is no telling what the result
will be. The sky Is black with smoke, and
the mountains are invisible on all sides,
and the heat is intense. Not an idle man
can be found, and calls for men come from
every direction. Men are still fighting the
fire at Degolia and apparently have it un-
der control.
Nothing has been learned from West
Branch, where a brisk fire is burning
Everything at Sugar Run. including saw
mills and dwellings, We're burned, and moth
ing remains of the place.
The fire at Brookston is still burning
fercely. and there is no prospect of check
ing the spread Of the flames. 1t is impos-
sitle to get men, and consequently, the fire
makes rapid headway.
Fire Mt Ormsby.
The fire at Ormsby is raging more fierce
ly than ever. Tie place is without water
protection of any kind. and the flames are
devouring a large area of standing timber.
Saw mills and number of houses have
been consumed. Two car loads of empty
barrels were shipped to Ormsby from here
this morning to be used to convey water
to the Oil field, which is new threatened.
A stiff breeze is blowing and there is no
telling what the outcome will be.
One hundred and fifty men left Olean, N.
Y, yesterday afternoon to fight the forest
fires in the Four Mile and knapp's Creek
districts between there and Bradford, and
owners are paying 81 an nour for men to
fight the fires.
Line. Mayor F'ranchot of Olean has lost a
large number, and over a hundred rigs
have already been burned in the district.
message from knapp's Creek says fifty
rigs belonging to Curtis, Burns and Russell
are destroyed. A line of fire surrounds the
town and the inhabitants fear total de-
struction.
Everything between Russell City and
Coon Run has been burned, including the
rigs, tanks and pumping stations of the
Standard Oil and Elk County Pipe Line
companies. Barnsdall & Company had at
least seventy-five rigs between Coon Run
L