The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-30
The Whole of Western Colorado Is
Now AblaZe.
CHARGED TO THE UTES
REVENGE FOR THEIR ELECTION
By GAME WARDENS.
Settlers Are Fleeing For Their Lives
and All Property Is Destroyed
Supply of Water For Irrigation
VIII Be Diminished-Terrible
Fires Raging In Wisconsin.

Idaho Springs, Colo, Sept. 29.-Forest
fires burning on the west side of the
divide are beyond control and people
are said to be fleeing for their lives.
How many, if any, have persisted can
not be known, as there is no way of
! getting direct information at this time.
a light breeze gives the mighty sea
of fire a new impetus and onward 1t
goes, burning everything before it, with
no chance of saving live stock or prop
erty.
Cattle are known to be perishing and
bear and deer and other wild animals
are running to the east side of the
divide.
The damage VII be tremendous The
timber losses amount to more than
money consideration. These forests
cover the headwaters of mountain
streams, where the SHOWS are retained
for many months. From such source
the streams have been kept carrying
volume of water sufficient to irrigate
most Of the lands of the state west of
the divide. With the disappearance of
the timber the flow of the streams will
be leSsened.
There seems to be a settled opinion
among the ranchers that the forest
fires were started by Ute Indians with
malicious intent. They say the forci-
BILE election of the Indians and their
return to the reservation more than a
year ago because of their slaughter of
game made them bitter against the
whites. They are now playing even,
the settlers think, and at the same
time driving some of the game into
Utah, where they can hunt without be-
ing molested by game warGens.
Henry Grom, one of the ranchers liv-
ing at Toponas, Egeria Park, arrived
here today from the burning country.
de said: The Gore range is on fire for
more than 100 miles. The fires have
been burning there for some time and
Tor the past few weeks have been get
ting worse. Fires are also seen in
Grand county, near Kremmling. The
ranchers are fighting the flames, and
when L left were experiencing great
loss in all kinds of property.
The fires which are reported cover
most of the northwestern part of the
state and extend through the counties
of Routt, Rio Blanco, Grand, Larimer,
Garfield. Eagle, Pitkin and Summit.
They are doing great damage to every
interest of that section.
FORESTS ARE DOOMED.
Denver. Colo, Sept. 29.-The Times has
the following specials concerning the pro-
gress of the forest fires:
Gunnlson, Colo, Sept. 29.-Forest fires
continue unabated in this section. The
two largest are on North Beaver and east
OF Baldwin. The latter has burned over
a territory about 80 miles square. Miners
nave labored night and day all week cut
ting timber in order to save the KILLER
mine, which is situated in heavy timber.
mat plant is now probably safe
Crested Butte, Colo, Sept 29-OWine TO
a. change IN wind this town for the first
time IN over one week is free from the
dense smoke and heat that has enveloped
IL However, as there has been no rain
the ire still RACES. Irwin, eight miles
from here, IS almost surrounded. but as
1t is located in broad opening il is con-
sidered safe. At Ruby, four miles from
Irwin the situation is critical The i'm
mense breaker. which cost the Colorado
Fuel d Iron company over $500 0OG, is sit
uated in the thickeSt strip of timber in
this section. An extra force of men was
put on yesterday to try to prevent the
fire from getting any nearer TO it, 1t was
Within half mile of the breaker when
more men were sent for.
MontroSe, Colo, Sept. 29.-OVer- 300 miles
of valuable timber has been consumed a
short distance south of Montrose. and
there Is no way of checking the fire TO
the east of here, on the Black mesa a fire
started few days ago and is steadily
spreading, while to the north, in Delta
county, a large area of timber has been
consumed. Nothing but rains or the com
plete destruction of the forests can ex-
UnguiSh these fires.