Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-07
FOREST FIRES RAGE
Widespread Destruction to Life and
Property in the Northwest.
MANITOBA THE WORST SUFFERER
Hairbreadth Escapes Of Some of
Those in Burnt Districts.
ILLINOIS AND INDIANA FIRES

1 WINNIPEG, Manitoba, October THE
forest fires that have been raging in Mani
toba. close to the boundary line, for the
past ten days, have broken out more furi-
| cusly than ever. Ten or twelve persons are
reported to have been burned to death, and
the fire is rapidly spreading over the boun-
Diary line into Dakota.
F'iremen have been fighting the flames
night and day trying to keep the fire from
getting into the more thickly populated
districts Hundreds of thousands Of dol
lars' worth of timber has been destroyed
and considerable grain, well some
farm buildings.
Up to this time the fire has been confined
to the Canadian side of the boundary, but
the Swath line between the United States
and Manitoba has been obliterated and
great fears are entertained that the fires
will get beyord the control of the settlers
Wolves Driven to the Open.
The flames are driving hundreds of
wolves and coyotes out into the open conn-
try, and large 1ocks of geese and ducks
have been seen flying over the burning
forests.
Near White Mouth. H. Laundry, a trap
per, was burned to death. A German wo-
man living near where the fire burned most
furious yesterday is reported to have been
burned to death and her children are miss
ing.
A dispatch from White Mouth says the
fire is spreading rapidly. East of White
Mouth the situation is very critical The
section foreman at Darwin and his wife
and men were picked up by freight train
and brought into White Mouth. Road Mas
ter Horner on hand car attempted to run
from Darwin, but his men nearly sue
| cumbed through suffocation and were COM
pelied to take refuge in passing freight
All the telegraph poles for several miles
east of the town are down and trains are
tied up
At Broken Head, Manitoba, the county
is on fire. On both sides of the Broken
Head river enormous damage is being
done. The smoke is SO thick that it is i'm
possible to see twenty yards in any direc
ton.
Took to the River.
Mr.. and Mrs. Young, living soutt of
Broken Head, about eight miles, LOST ev-
erything, ard only saved their lives by
staying in the river for twelve hours.
AT Beausejour, Manitoba, seven persons
have been burned to death. Mrs O. w.
Thomas. her young son and daughter had
afrace with the flames for several miles
They had q team Of horses, which they
kept on the run. Sparks from the burning
timber were blown into the dry grass Of a
prairie which they were compe- led to cross
and soon they we're surrounded by the
names The frantic horses started to run
straight anead into the burning timber
Before they lad gone far the carriage
overturned, and they were thrown down an
embankment into small creek This prob
ably saved their lives. They were badly
burned.
A report from Morris, Manitoba, says a
prairie lre has been raging there, and that
one family of four persons is known 10
have perished. The fire is supposed to have
originated from the sparks or engine.
Drouth In Southern Illinois,
MUSCOUTAH, ILL.,, October I'm the ex-
perience of the Oldest settlers in st. Clair
and adjoining counties the present drouth
is without parallel. For two months there
has been practically no rainfall in this sec
tion, and the temperature mas ranged
above 9o degrees in the shade almost daily
during all that time
The damage done by the drouth in south
ern llllnois cannot be accurately estimate
but 1t has been great. The heaviest loss to
the farmers is on the corn crop which has
been cut down - TO Is per cent by the dry
weather. 1t has also done great damage
to all late vegetation and to the fruit crop
generally.
A water famine is threatened over a
large area of country.
LA GRANDE, Ind, October THE
drouth. which is without precedent III
broken by Il light rain, The fire in the
1amarack swamp has increased, but the
farmers are now SO organized that they
anticipate no great Damage unless the
wind suddenly changes. Great fires are
Burning IN the marshes near Rochester.
| ILd.
Wisconsin Fire Visited.
KENOSHA, Wis., October 7-Old settlers
OF the Kenosha say this has been the driest
season for years in this part of the coun-
try. Vegetation has been parched and
crops blasted. Wells and springs have
dried up aud as Il result of scarcity of
water stock has suffered greatly Prairie
fires in SoE-ers and Bristol, caused by
sparks from passing engines destroyed
conside. able property belonging 10 the
farmers. All kinds of means have been
adopted to stay the advance of the flames.
In some cases where the fire appar-
| ertly extngu;shed it continued to burn be-
lew the surface.
kanxakce Marsh Ablnxe.
| VALPARAISO, Ind, October THE.
Kankakee marsh fire is rapidly spreading
in this county. though the farmers have
given up all other work and fighting
all hours of the day and night. Several
houses were destroyed last night.
| The big marsh near Tassinong caught
fire again last night and the flames swept
over acres OF land. destroying everything
In their path.
Potatoes Roasted in the Hills.
NILES, Mich, October East and north
of this city the terrible marsh fires still
continue. Farmers have fought the flames
4 night and day for week, and are utterly
| exhausted. They have moved their house.
hold goods to places of safety, and have
sacrificed their homes
Near Rerrien Springs, on what Is known
as the Big Meadow, hundreds of acres of
potatoes have been roasted in the hills
The fire is the worst that has occurred
In this vicinity since 1871.
Corraclds Swept Away.
DECATUR. Ind. October FOREST fires
are raging over the entire northwestern
porticn of this county. Entire fields OF
shocked corn have been swept away by
the flames.
Towns Saved by Hard Work
FORT WAYNE, Ind. October 7.-Forest
hres are raging In the eastern part Of this