The herald., 1898-09-30
FURIOUS FOREST fires
THREATEN THE SMALL TOWNS
OF COLORADO
THE TIMBER IS DOOMED
North Dakota and Wisconsin Also Suf-
fer Heavy Damage With Much
More in Prospect
Associated Press Special Wire.

| L
DENVER, Colo, Sept. @.-The Times
has the following specials today concern
| ing the progress of the forest fires:
Gunnison.-Forest fires continue un-
abated In this section. The two largest
are On North Beaver. They cover ter
ritory about thirty miles square. Miners
have labored night and day all the week.
| cutting timber in order to save the Kib-
Ter mine, which Is situated in heavy tim
ber. That plant is now probably safe.
Crested Butte.-Owtng to change IN
the wind this town, for the first time In
over a week, Is free from the smoke and
heat that have enveloped 1t. There has,
however, been no rain, and the fire still
RACES. Irwin, eight miles from here. is
almost surrounded, but, as 1t is located In
broad opening, 1t 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 $4,000, is situated 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 a mile Of the
breaker when more men were sent for.
Montrose.-Over 300 acres Of valuable
tance south Of Montrose. 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 complete destruc-
ton OF the forests can extinguish these
fires.
Beyond Control l.
IDAHO SPRINGS, Colo, Sept. 29.-For-
est 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 cannot
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 It goeR
burning everything before 1t, with no
chance of saving live stock or property.
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 will be tremendous The timber
losses amount to more than money consid-
Grafton. These forests cover the headwa-
ters of mountain streams where the SHOWS
are retained for many months. From such
sources the streams have been kept car
rying a volume of water sufficient to ir-
rigate 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 mali
cious intent. They say the forcible election
of the Indians and their return to tie res
ervation more than year ago. because
| of their slaughter of game made them Bit
| ter against the whites. They are now play
ing even, the settlers think. and at the
same time, driving some Of the game into
Utah, where they can hunt without being
moested by game wardens.
| Henry Grom one of the ranchers living
at Toponas Ejeria 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 Kremm-
ling. The ranchers are fighting the flames
and when I 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.
A Town Damaged
MILWAUKEE, Sept. pa special to the
Sentinel from Cumberland, Wis, says:
Fire, supposed to have originated from
forest fires, burned half Of this town to-
4. oip 1oSS estimated
s225 900. About twenty-five families are
homeless Five children are reported
burned to death. A large sawm!ll is among
the buildings burned, throwing many out
Of work Rain saved the entire city from
being burned. Wires are down and de-
tails are hard to get
| Mrs. Jacob Correson was burned to death
while fighting forest fires today at Chippe-
wa Falls Her two children while attempt
ing to save her were badly burned about
the face and head Passengers on the Wis
consn Central train from the north to-
night say the train passed through an al
most continuous sea Of fires
| A Chippewa Falls special says: Forest
fires are doing enormous damage along the
500 and Wisconsin Central railroads.
Nearly every section Of pine woods in
| y NLTtHeTH lScOHS!H IS dDlaZe IeleRTa pm
and telephone wires are down and many
railway bridges have been destroyed.
Forest fires are doing great damage near
Rice lake. Sixteen farm houses are re-
parted to have been burned this afternoon.
Wisconsin Fires
MILWAUKEE, Sept. ga Journal
special from Chippewa Falls, Wis, says:
Forest fires are raging to an alarming
extent in this section. Hundreds of farm
ers are working night and day, fighting the
have been destroyed and many persons
seriously burned. Only heavy rain will
prevent serious loss.
The Wisconsin Central passenger train
due here at $3.50 last evening passed through
almost a sea of fire between Boyd and Ca
the flames were raging fiercely on both
sides of the track and threatening every
building within sight.
An Appeal for Aid
WASHINGTON, Sept. 29.--The Secretary
OF the Interior today received the follow
ing dispatch from Representative Knowles
of North Dakota:
"Black Hills forest fires destroying towns
and life Can't troops at Fort Meade help
fight fire? Send answer to Mayor Of Dead
wood"
The Secretary of the Interior forwarded
the message to the War Department, with
he request that aid. If possible, be fur