The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-02
COL. POWELL'S LOSSES
RECENT SEVERE FOREST FIRES
COST HIM OVER $3.50. OOO-

RECENT SEVERE FOREST FIRES
COST HIM OVER $25O,OOO.
The recent timber CONGREGATIONS which
visited the forests and plains of the great
Northwest, leaving in their destructive
wake the debris of vast frotunes, reduc-
ed to poverty many men whose fortunes
were counted by the hundred thousands
The fires were not alone confined to the
wooded part of the country, but sweep
ing out of the forests to the plains, Wis
tied stock farms and mining settlements
and caused wholesale damage and loss
which will perhaps never be fully record
ed
One of the largest property owners and
heaviest losers of Wyoming, where the
fires were worst, is Frank Powell, famil-
iarly known over the West as white
Beaver" who was at one time an asso-
ciate of the famous William F. Cody,
Buffalo Bill" and who has spent con-
siderable time in this city. EIe is reported
to have contributed $4,000 worth of prop
erty to feed the ravishing flames which
have stripped Wyoming of much of her
timber, and RACED many mining camp
to a barren desert. To the joy of his
friends let it be said, however, that this
does not include the entire fortune of
Mr.. Powell. However, it has seriously
handicapped him in the promotion of his
enterprises, and probably was the means
of eXhausting his treasury for he has
been compelled to make an assignment
to his creditors since the fires. There
are imperishable properties. which were,
of course, saved, and from which he will,
in the future, be able to recover part of
his lost fortunes, but 200 is not replac-
ed in a day.
Col. Powelfs lost estate consisted chiefly
Of timber, of which he had some 100, geo 900
feet in pine, spruce and basam, mining
shanties, all of which were destroyed, and
all the machinery with which his mines
were operated, saw mill and other
buildings. All of these were RACED to the
ground, and all the brave 'front.' rsman has
to show for the work of his years are the
mines, the actual holes in the ground,
which the flames of no fire could oblit-
crate.
Visiting the charred ruins with friend,
Col Powell took one last, lingering look
at them, and went at once to the county
seat of Carbon county, Wyoming, and
made an assignment of his remaining
property to those who had trusted him in
the days of his prosperity, and left him
self once more a man without money,
almost a pauper, so far as actual coin
was concerned Few under the stress of
such disastrous hardship might have fol-
lowed the example of the colonel, but his
motive was to satisfy the obligations
which others held against him, and bear
the burden without resorting to a course
which could possibly be reproached, or
invite the imputation of dishonesty His
action was commended over the entire
country in which he lived, and forms
the subject of very pretty and timely
eulogy by a well-known journal of Wy
oming, which says: would that the state
had more such men as he.''
No doubt Col. Powell will be enabled to
secure financial aid whereby he will posi-
bly, recoup his estate, and once more en-
joy the blessings of a fortune like that
one which he has just seen pass from his
hands. His mines are said to be prolific
of rich veins, and If he regains their pos
session, 1t may not be long before he has
repaired his ruined fortune.