Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-02

Denver, Col, October 1.-Forest
fires which are devastating the west
ern portion Of the State are burning
with unabated fury, only subsiding
where fuel is exhausted. A special to
the Rocky Mountain News from Red
cliff, says:
Nothing is heard in Eagle county but
talk Cf nre from all sections. From
reports of new territory in the grasp
OF the demon, when a providential
storm GENES and the summing up is
made, there will be little timber left
to tel the tale. A new country now
sending volumes of fire and smoke
heavenWard is Bear WallOW and Lake
Greeks, a magnihcept stretch OF for
est. This fire from its direction will
sweep On Camp tulford, winch has al
ready been scOrched from another di-
rectlOn. R3nchmen on Gore creek are
having a desperate time saving their
homes, as the Gore range foothills here
send a continuous run Of flames for
miles. Along the side hills near Min
turn, even the ground is burning. Cat
tlemen are getting their cattie into un-
and even then are compelled to keep
close watch en- them, and keep them
! moving.
A regular gale is blowing throughout
| the county, which means the fast trav-
! cling fire will be driven forward a hur-
ricane of flames. The deserted village
of Gold Park was reduced to ashes
yesterday. Dwellings, barns and store
/ a CT mi af ba
Park Mining and Manufacturing Com
pany were licked up in few hours.
This town is four miles from the south
of the Holy Cross, and the miners of
that district fought nobly to save the
place. The Holy Cross country suffer
ed greatly. The mines have closed
down and the miners are utterly eX-
hausted from their night and day bat
tie with the fire fiend. Many narrow
escapes are reported from different parts
of the county. Strong men have sue
cumbed to the smoke and heat and must
be carried off by their comrades. AS
yet no loss of life has occurred. but
many head of cattle and horses have
been burned up. Notch mountain, OPP
posite Gilman, is a blackened ruin on
.A.IIoiy- erv,o- otup0. farvry priu5c
on Homestake creek is destroyed; the
Corduroy station of the road is burned
out and innumerable fallen giant trees
interlace along the line of travel. Thou
sands of acres of the finest timber are
a thing of the past. In several places
there is no doubt that the fires are of
incendiary origin. Especially is this
so in the vicinity of Hooper mountain.
Cottonwood and Cattle Creek ranches
are being deserted. Shaft houses in
the mountains have been swept away.
| There seems now no hope of staying
the fire anywhere. The only hope is in
rain or snow.
Milwaukee. Wis, October 1.-The pc
cuniary damage wrought by the forest
fires in the northwestern part Of the
State cannot be estimated at present.
1t may amount to anywhere between
one and five million dollars. Many
days will elapse before the full extent
of the fire will be known. Rain is fall
ing through the State tonight This
will undoubtedly put an end to the de-
vastation.
Clarke, Chippewa and Barron coun-
ties appear to have suffered the great
est destruction. Over one hundred
people are reported missing in the vi
cinity of Rice Lake: sixty families are
homeless near Cumberland; seventy
five at Turtle Lake and many farmers
have lost all their property and had
narrow escape themselves. 1t is also
believed that many persons were burn
ed to death in their efforts at fight
ing the flames and were unable to es-
cane when their efforts failed.
Many narrow escapes are reported.
A party of loggers in charge of August
Mason, of Chippewa Falls, were re-
turning from the camps at Cedar Lake.
They had race for their lives, hav-
ing handicap over the flames of eight
miles, and having but one mile to cover
to reach a p,2ce Of safety. The race
was most exciting and resulted in
the probable less of four Of the crew.
The party made for a lake, mounted
ON horses. With the heat and smoke
almost unbeatable the first section of
the loggers ard their horses barely
reached the goal in time, dashing into
the lake. where they remained until
the flames passed over. The four men
who were in the rear are missing and
are believed to have persisted. Many
persons sought refuge in wells.
Reports from Cumberland late this
afternoon say that the town IS in dan
ger. Business was suspended and the
citizens were out in force IN an en-
deavor to check the flames.