The record-union., 1898-09-30
Those on West Side Of Colorado
Divide Beyond Control,
People Residing in That District Fleeing
for Their Lives.
No Way of Getting Direct Informa-
ton as to How Many, if Any,
Lives Were Lost-Belief That
the Fires Were Started by Utc

the Fires Were Started by Uto
Indians With Malicious Intent.
IDAHO SPRINGS (Colo.). Sept. 90
Forest fires burning on the west side
of the Divide are beyond coptrol and
people are said to be fleeing for their
HVeS. How many, if any, have perished
cannot be known, as there is no way
of getting direct information at this
time.
light breeze gives the mighty sea
or fire a new impetus, and onward it
goes, burning everything, before ii, with
no chance of saving livestock or prop
erty. Cattle are known to be PERISH
ing, and bear and deer and other wild
animals are running to the east side Of
the Divide
The damage will 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 Il
volume of water sufficient to irrigate
most of the lands of the State west of
the Divide. With the disappearance of
! 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 forcible
election of the Indians and their re-
turn to the reservation more than ayear
ago. because of their slaughter of game,
made them bitter against the whites.
! m
tiers think, and at the same time driv-
ing some of the game into Utah. where
they can hunt without being molested
by Game Wardens.
| Henry Grom, one of the ranchers liv-
ing at Toponas, Egeria Park, arrived
here to-day from the burning country.
He said: THE Gore range is on fire
for more than 100 miles. The fires
have been burning there for some time.
and for the past few weeks have been
getting 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 coun-
ties of Routt, Rio Blanco, Grand, Lari-
mer FAIRFIELD. Eagle, Pitkin and Sum-
NIT. They are doing great damage to
every interest of that section.
PROGRESS OF THE FIRES.
| DENVER (Col), Sept. 29.-The
Times" has the following specials to-
! day concerning the progress of the for
| est fires:
! Gunnison (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 thirty
miles square Miners have labored
night and day all week cutting timber.
in order to save the Kibler mine, which
| is situated in heavy timber. That
plant is now probably safe.
Crested Butte (ColoD, Sept. 29.-Ow-
| ing 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 it. However, as there
has been no rain the fire still RACES.
Irwin eight miles from here, is almost
surrounded, but as it is located in a
| broad opening, it is considered safe.
| At Ruby, four miles from Irwin, the
situation is critical. The immense
breaker, which cost the Colorado Fuel
and Iron Company over S20o,0OO, is
situated in the thickest strip of tim
ber in this section. An extra force OF
men were 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
800 acres of valuable timber has been
consumed by fire south of Montrose-
There is no way of checking the fire.
To the east of here, on the Black Mesa,
a fire started a few days ago and is
steadily spreading, while to the north,
in Della County, large area of tim
ber has been consumed. Nothing but
rains or the complete destruction of the
forests can extinguish these fires.
FIRES RAGING IN WISCONSIN.
MILWAUKEE,, Sept 29.--A Jour
nal' special from Chippewa Falls, Wis,
says:
Forest fires are raging to an alarm
ing extent in this section. Hundreds of
farmers are working night and day
fighting the flames. Four homes and
other buildings have been destroyed,
and many persons seriously burned.
Only a heavy rain will prevent a seri
Gus loss.
The Wisconsin Central passenger
train. due here at $50 last evening.
passed through almost sea of fire be-
tween Boyd and Cadott. Passengers
on the train say that the flames were
raging fiercely on both sides of the
track. and threatening every building
within sight.
NORTH DAKOTA CALLS FOR HELP.
WASHINGTON, Sept 29.-The Sec
retary of the Interior to-day received
the following dispatch from Represen-
tative Knowles of North Dakota:
"Black Hill forest fires destroying
towns and life. Can't troops at Fort
Meade help fight fire? Send word to
Mayor of Deadwood."
The Secretary of the Interior for
warded the message to the War De-
partment, with a request that aid, if
possible. be furnished.
LONDON, Sept. 29.-Sir John Moore,
partner of Moore Brothers, leather mer-
~.