Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1902-09-17

been burned. Two of Poison Bros.
camps, including 20 horses and outfits
have been destroyed The great dam on
the Hoquiam river caught fire and was
destroyed.
1t is feared many loggers and cruisers
In that vicinity have persisted.
Dispatches from Elma say the danger
in that vicinity has passed as the wind
fell and the fires slowed down. Abou.
100 families are homeless. Several per
sons are missing, but no lives are known
to have been lost. The fire in the Cove
man country has swept all before 1t for
20 miles down the river and across Ka-
lying in the river for several hours. The
loggers in the ]. b. Hills camp were
awakened at midnight and fled for their
lives, leaving everything to burn, and the
camp was destroyed. Many houses have
been burned, and the loss is very heavy.
Fires Near YncOIt.
Vancouver, Wash, Sept. 15.-Fred Bur-
lingame has arrived here from Yacolt, so
miles north, and states that terrific fire
has been raging in that vicinity for the
past two days. The fire, he says, is now
burning in the big timber district north
and east of Yacolt. While assisting to
fight the flames Burlingame became sur
rounded by fire and had to flee for his
life. He was terribly burned about the
head and face. and upon his arrival here
was taken to a hospital. Twenty fami-
lies have been rendered homeless by the
terrible fire, which burned over large
territory in that vicinity on Thursday and
Friday. The fire was driven by strong
wind, which appeared to move with
circular motion, and consumed every
thing in its path. Buildings and crops Of
all kinds and much livestock were de-
neighborhood that a number of families,
unable to make their escape, plunged into
La Camas creek and lay in the water
greater portion of Thursday night in or
der to save their lives.
The fire has now burned itself out in
that locality and passed on the north and
east Conditions are believed to be much
worse than yet reported in the burned
districts remote from telephone and tele-
graph communication, and actual results
will probably not be known for several
days. Millions of feet OF valuable timber
have been destroyed, in addition to an
immense amount of farm property.
1t is reported that the hotel buildings
at st. Martin Springs have been burned.
Later.
Portland, Ore. Sept. 15.-Driven
from their homes in the darkness of the
night by RAGING forest fire which
swept everything before it from Ariel,
Cowlitz county, Washington, to
Mount st. Helens, a distance of %
miles, 1 / people are dead, four are
missing and over 200 people have been
left homeless, and many have not even
clothes enough to cover them.
The dead in Cowlitz county, as far
as known, are:
d. L. Wallace, wifeand two children;
Twelve year old son of Mr.. Hanley;
John Polly, his brother and child;
w. L. Newhouse; Mrs. Graves.
-Four men who were working on q
claim belonging to James Hawthorne
have not been found, and it is thought
they are dead. Some so or 60 people
were camped at the lake at the foot of
Mount st. Helens, and they have not
been heard from since the fire.
1t is not known whether they escaped
or not. The first news of the devasta-
ton was brought to the city by Milo
M. Dimmick, who experienced many
difficulties in making the trip out to
send aid to the sufferers. From his de-
scription, the suffering there is great,
and the devastation is the most appall-
ing of any that has been reported.
For a stretch of 25 miles, he says,
there are but two houses standing.
The fine timber from which the peo-
pie expected to realize fortunes has all
been ruined. The fire came on them
in tie night, and was entirely unex-
pected. Dimmick was asleep, and was
awakened by the barking of his dog.
~ hadscarcely got to the river my
self, when the flames were upon me,
and if had had to take time to save
anyone else we would not have got
away.
While immersed in the river, DIM
mick saw one of the grandest, but most
APPALLING sights, of his life.
"Great balls of fire would roll up
like cotton balls" said he, land then
burst with a mighty roar.
have never heard noise to COM
pared with it," AS soon as the fire
passed over him, he rushed to neigh
boris house and found that the family
had been driven from home, but had
escaped death. When morning came
he set out to bring the information.
The bridges were all burned and the
roads were INSTRUCTED by trees that had
fallen across them, so that his progress
was very slow.
Kalama, WASH, Sept. 16.-Reports
from the fire stricken districts of Lewis
river continue to grow worse. The lat
est are that the charred bodies of 3S
people have already been found and it
is believed there will be more to follow.
Many settlers and an unknown num-
Der of campers from outside points are
missing. The burned district was set
tied by perhaps 500 people, most of
whom are were prosperous and many
well to do.
Fully 100 families have been burned
out in the vicinity of Elma, Wash.
The total loss is estimated at 5000 900.
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