Abilene weekly reflector., 1902-09-18
THE FOREST FIRES.
Many Campers 10 State Of Wash
ington Burned to Death.
IAIY MADE HOMELESS IN OREGON.
The Town Of Palmer Destroyed sud Two
Boys Perished In the Flamss-All Along
the Clackamss River vistss Of
Ruined Settlements Are seen.

Ruined Settlements Are seen.
Kalama, WASH, Sept. l5.-The for
est fires Of Lewis river hav'
wrought sad havoc. d. L. Wallace
wife and two children were burned
to death. They were camping In th'
woods when caught by the fire
Their wagon was found burned uI
and the charred bodies were lying
near. A 12-year-old boy OF Mr.. Han
ley's is dead also. Mrs. John Polly
and baby and brother, name un
known, and Mr.. Newhouse and Mrs
Graves are dead. Fifteen others were
found without clothing, except gun
nysacks.
Five logging camps are burned out
completely. The following families
have lost everything: Eli Street, O.
S. Curtis, L. M. Chitty, Thomas
Mathews, T. Wilkerson, II. i. Dar-
land and DR.. Ellis and others. The
worst OF the fire is on Lewis river,
about IL miles above Woodland. The
country is well settled and there are
doubtless other casualties not yet
reported. The fire has spread from
Lewis river north to the Kalama
river and so sections of the finest
timber on the coast are destroyed.
It is impossible to give any estimate
Of the amount Of damage done to
property. Oak Point, about 20 miles
below here on the Columbia river, Is
totally destroyed. There are no re-
ports Of lives lost, but loss to prop
erty Is estimated at about 100000.
A great fire Is also raging on the
Coweman in the northern part Of
the county. Everything combustible
is consumed in It's path. Nothing
like it was ever seen by white men.
The air Is thick with smoke and fall
ing ashes. Hills camp Is reported
destroyed, Muckley brothers. No. 2
camp is also burned out, Moreland's
camp Is badly damaged, seven donkey
engines are ruined, two men from
Barr's camp are reported missing,
people are panic-stricken and many
are almost crazed with grief over
loss of property. Coalitz county
thought it was going to escape until
yesterday when the reports came
thick and fast and the last are worse
and worse. Five people are dead and
two missing, with only partial re-
ports from the burned district. The
horrible news has cast q gloom over
the entire county that cannot be de-
scribed in words. A courier has just
arrived from Lewis river who stated
that there are only two houses left
standing on Lewis river from Traits
place to the head of the river, a dis
tance Of 80 miles, and not less than
IL persons have perished.
Many People Made Homeless
Portland, Ore, Sept. l5.-About 300
people are left homeless in Multi
nomah and Clackamas counties as a
result Of the forest fires which have
ragged for the past week, Fires have
burned over wide scope of country,
but the greatest damage in this state
appears to have been done in these
two counties.
In the fire that destroyed the town
OF Palmer, near Bridal Veil, two
boys named Hamilton were caught
while trying to escape from the
flames and burned to death.
The timber losses in Clackamas
county have been immense and the
whole length Of the Clackamas river
presents nothing but vistas of ruined
settlements.
In eastern Multnomah the fires are
under control and no further damage
is feared unless weather conditions
change. In southern Oregon excel
lent work has been done by the for
est rangers and the destruction con-
fined to comparatively limited. area.
Eugene ana surrounding country Is
now practically out Of danger, though
the fires are still mcnacing. Tilla-
nook also has been saved by the
change in the direction of the wind |
and the inhabitants have good hopes
OF saving the town, which has twice
been almost abandoned before the
raging flames.
The most distressing losses have
been those suffered in the vicinity of |
Springwater, Clackamas county, and
Lentz, Multnomah county. The
Springwater region has been utterly
swept by the fires and those who have
reached points in communication
with the outside world say that i'm
mediate help must be sent in order
to save the lives rescued from the
ievouring flames. Around Portland
the fires are dying down and the
people in the suburbs are drawing
their first easy breaths since Thurs
day. In all parts of the Willamette
and Columbia river valleys the smoke
continues very dense and it is feared
that the full extent of the losses
will not be known until the districts
now cut off are heard from.
The damage by fire to forest reser-
vations appears not to have been
heavy, the most disastrous fires be-
ing confined to settlements where
and slashing is being done.
There is no way Of securing correct
estimate of the loss, but it will GER