The Anaconda standard., 1895-06-05
IN THE OIL FIELDS
Fire Sweeping Everything Before Il
With Awful Result.
MEN AND WOMEN FLEEING
In Some Places the Loss of Prop
erty VIII Be Enormous, While
Life Is Endangered in Every
Section Covered BY Flames.

4 APidbAbths II a. ohht AAf At nus
sell City last night drove terror to the
hearts of its 500 inhabitants. At .
o'clock a fresh west wind famed the
burning brush and hemlock timber in
to a solid mass of fire. covering three
miles in width. The flames spread so
| rapidly that the people had TO leave
everything and run to a clearing two
miles distant at Highland Corners.
The 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
reached the Highlands in safety. Moth
ing is left OF the once hustling little
city.
Fire is burning flercely among the
oil wells. The Northern oil company
has 20 oil wells and a number OF tanks
burning, and there is no abatement to
the fury OF the flames. 1t Is impossible
TO estimate the loss. The woods lead
ing to Clark's mills are one mass Of
flames on both sides OF the road. How
the people who live along the road
could have escaped is beyond compre-
hension. 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.
Every available man is fighting the
fire, and there are not half enough.
There is fire I'm every direction and all
efforts to check its progress seem fu-
tile. Coon Run. three miles from Rus
sell City. which was wiped out yester-
day afternoon. was completely obliter-
ated. The place consisted Of % build
ings, 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 it the fire was upon them.
They ran to the town and aroused peo-
pie and told them 10 flee for their
lives. Men, women and children made
wild race for the railway track.
distance of five miles. and the flames
played havoc with all their belong
ings. The Northern oil company lost
40 oil wells at this place. and a large
number OF rigs built for the new wells
About % tanks Of oil were consumed.
The fire at Ormsby is raging more
fiercely than ever this morning. The
the flames are devouring a large area of
standing timber Saw mills and a num-
ber of houses have been consumed. A
stiff breeze is blowing and there is no
telling what the outcome will be.
The fire at West Kane. which threat
ened the destruction Of thatrplace. is
now under control The damage done
was the burning Of nine oil well rigs
owned by the Griffith estate. the en-
gine house and dwelling house.
The fire at Knapps creek is still rag
ing, and has done a large amount Of
damage. The fire spread to Bells Camp
and 35 oil wells are burning. Reports
from Duke Center state that the en-
tire valley Is on fire. The loss to oil
and lumber men will be enormous.
Kansas Branch. Rixford. Davis city,
Summit city. Dallas City, oil Valley.
Limestone. State Line. Derrick city
and Red Rock are all I'm IL, and unless
rain falls soon will be destroyed
The sky is black with smoke: the
mountains are invisible and the heat is
intense. Not an idle man can be found
and calls for men from every direction.
Men are still fighting the fire at De
golia and apparently have IL under
control. Nothing has been learned from
West Branch. where a brisk fire is
burning, Everything at Sugar Run. in
cluding saw mills and dwellings. have
been burned. and nothing remains Of
the place. The fire at Brookstone is
still burning fiercely. and there is no
prospect Of checking the spread Of the
flames. II is impossible 10 get men,
the fires make rapid head
way.
The fire has reached the oil fields at
West Branch. A dense cloud of smoke
has burst forth. II is reported that sew
eral wells and tanks are on fire.
Olean. y. Y, June 4.-One hundred !
and fifty men left here yesterday after
noon TO fight forest fires in Four Mile |
and Knapps creek districts. between /
here and Bradford.
a downpour of rain this afternoon |
luenched the fires in the vicinity and |
everything is quiet tonight. Knapps |
Creek. the town that was threatened |
With destruction last night. escaped |
With a loss Of three dwellings and 80 |
1il rigs and two tanks OF oil. Between |
Dukes Center and Knapp's Creek. 200 |
1gs were destroyed. together with a /
arge amount Of standing timber The /
iii fire at West Branch. two miles from /
lere. was eXtinguished by rain and all /
Tres in that direction are under control /
o-night The total loss is estimated 1
Il 81 .O00. 600
Russell City. Pa. June Rain came
Il o'clock this evening and is stiu |
pouring down in torrents. The hres in
ne woods are out and there is no fur
her danger in the vicinity. The dam
.ge TO lumber and oil property is enor-
nous. more than 5000 acres Of valuable
lmber and 100000 worth of oil prop
rty having been destroyed.
NO CLUE VET.