San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-05
RAGING FIRES.
PEOPLE FLEEING TO SAVE THEIR
LIVES.
Many Thousands of Dollars Worth
of Property Being Destroyed.
Blessed Rain Quenches
the Flames.

BRADFORD, Pa, June ELK
county has experienced a number
Of destructive forest fires, but those
Of Monday and yesterday surpass
them all. The fire at Russell
City was one that drove terror
to the hearts OF the people. At 10
o'clock q brisk west wind sprang
up and famed the burning brush
and hemlock timber into a solid
mass of fire covering a stretch OF
three miles in width. The people,
for the past three days have
been forced to flee to save their
lives. The flames spread so
rapidly people had to leave every
thing and to clearing two
miles distant at Highland Corners.
Many women and children fell
exhausted and were tramped on,
but reached Highland in safety.
Nothing is left of the once hust-
ling little place. The fire is still
burning among the oil wells.
The Northern Oil company have
twenty-one wells and a number of
tanks are burning at this place
now, and there is no abatement to
the fury of the flames. 1t is i'm
| possible to estimate the loss. The
woods leading to Clarks, mills is
one mass Of flames on both sides OF
| the road, and how people who live
| along the road could have escaped
is beyond comprehension.
There Is no communication Of
any kind with this place and no
| news obtainable from there, but
| there is no doubt Of everything hav-
ing been burned in path Of the fire
as there is no protection of any
kind. Every available man is out
fighting the fire, and there is not
half enough. There is fire in every
direction, and all efforts to check
it's progress seem futile.
Coon Run, three miles from Rus
sell City, vas completely wiped
out yesterday. The place consisted
Of twenty-seven buildings, a pump
station, schoolhouse and saw.mill.
A. r. Fowler, superintendent Of the
Northern Ohio railway, says that
while he and his men were at
work "back-iring," a stiff breeze
from the west came up 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.
l Men, women and children made a
wild rush for the railroad track, a
distance Of five miles, while the
flames played havoc with all their
belongings.
The Northern company lost
forty oil 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 con-
sumed and lent energy to the
flames, The Elk Oil company is
also a heavy loser. The Pipe line
lost both their pump stations with
a quantity Of crude oil. The loss
will be very great. No estimate
can be made until the fire has
abated.
The fire at West Kane which
threatened destruction to that
place is now under control. The
damage done a the burning of
nine oil well rigs, owned by Grit
fifth and Tate, one engine house and
one dwelling house.
The fire reported at Knappe
Creek is still raging and has done
a large amount Of damage. The
fire spread to Bell Campand thirty
five oil wells are now on fire.
Reports from Duke Centre, state
the entire valley is on fire, the loss
to oil and lumbermen, will be
enormous,
Kansas Branch, RiXford, Davis
City, Oil Valley, Limestone, 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,
which makes the mountains in
visible on all sides, and the heat is
intense. Not an idle man can be
found, and calls for men come from
every direction. The men are still
fighting the fire at Degolic, and APP
parently have 1t under control.
Nothing is learned from West
Branch, where a brisk fire is burn
ing everything.
At Sugar Run, including saw
mills, and dwellings burned and
nothing remains in the place.
The fire at Brookstin is still
burning fiercely, and there is no