The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-29
FORESTS ALL ABLAZE.
Furious Fires Raging on the
Lower Columbus River.
Valuable Timber Ruined, Logging
Camps Destroyed. Cattle and Per-
haps Human Beings Killed.

Portland Avg ss-word reached here
tonight that enormous forest fires are
raging between Oak Point and Eagle Cliff.
ON the Washington shore % shs Coluzn bss
river. An AREA three mics square has a.
ready been burned over. Il - reported
that dozens of cattle have Seen burned,
one report placing the number at DO.
Many millions OF feet OF timber have been
burned. estimates running as high a.
q. eoo.oSo.
BeIIson's begging and numbering camp.
with al the buildings. was destroyed
Many animals dropped dead from the ex-
ceSsive heat
Astoria. Or. Aug. "a special Co the
Astorian from Oak Point a numbering
station on the Washington shore OF the
Columbia river twenty miles above here
says: One OF the most terrific forest fires
ever seen In this section is now raging at
Benson's camp and IN that neighborhood.
A wal Of fame three miles long and
iesping to thu tops OF the highest trees
renders 1t impossible TO get direct COM
m1nacauon from here 20 tire scene OF the
trouble. A month ago heavy fire broke
ont in the same district. which. notwith-
standing the recent rains. smouldered ana
broke out afresh a few days ago. Il is
feared that many lives have been lost
and that Benson's entire Acgglng camp
wiz be destroyed, which win mean to him
total ruin. Those who are in the camp
and beyond the line of fire can only find
safety, providing they have not already
svsccumbed. by making a new trail % the
Columbia river and taking 20 boats.
IL Is so hot that even cattle dropped
dead soma distance from the line OF ire
from the intense heat. AL the buildings
at thu various boarding camps have been
destroyed, ani even some in the village.
Campers have made strenuous efforts 20
get their things ont of the cabins. and
some effects have been moved from a
few buildings, but there Is little prospect
OF saving anything. as they cannot get
out this way az all The ordinary utfas
are so covered by smoke and cinders and
the heat is go great that no one can pass
along them. One man who watched the nre
from a distance says that ne saw I'M
mense green trees licked up by the flames
as IL they had been kindiing wood
This IS the worst blow the community
has ever had, and II les doubtful whether
the PRINCIPAL loggers viii be able 10 rc-
cover from their losses. When and where
the fire will stop II is hard TO conjecture.
as II IL still burning furiously at late
hour tonight
Benson's logging company 10 one OF the
largest institutions OF the kind on the CO.
lnnrbia river. II owns hundreds OF acres
of property, two locomotives, three donkey
engines and a well equipped tramway.
with every modern device for handling the
business. Sixty-five men are employed In
the camp.
Tonight further advices show that the
fire now covers ten square miles OF valu-
able timber. Each square mile Ia estimat-
ed to contain between 20000.oa1 and 30,0oo,-
600 feet of timber, and 1t is thought that
the loss already incurred on the stumpage
alone is more than $4,000
The sight OF the burning timber IL a
grand one. beyond description. The noise
of the flames. the popping Of the timbers
as thew succumb 70 the heat. the terrific
clouds OF fire and smoke and the showers
OF cinders falling in all directions make
an awe-inspiring scene.