Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-16
TWENTY DIE IN FOREST FIRE
Flames Leave Trail Of Death in Extreme
Western States,
ESTIMATED PROPERTY LOSS 81, 500, go
Interior Department TeIeErRphs In
%structiOns and Asks Full Report
Colorado and Montana Now
suHer Some Damage.

PORTLAND, Ore, Sept 15.-Twenty lives
have been lost and 1t is roughly estimated
that 81, 500, 900 worth of property has been
destroyed during the past week by forest
fires in oregon 3 and Washington. Many
more people are, missing, but It will not
be known how many are dead until reports
from remote Districts come in. TIL esti-
mate Of the property loss does not include
standing timber, but covers sawmills.
houses, barns, shops. cordwood and farm
implements. Thousands Of acres of timber
have been burned over, but the destruc-
tion Of great timber has not been heavy.
Relief is being hurried from this city,
Tacoma, Seattle and Vancouver, Wash, to
those who have lost their homes and crops.
The districts where the greatest destruc-
ton occurred are Lentz, .Springwater and
Bridal Veil, Ore, and Fifth Plain, Lewis
River and Elma, Wash. in all the places
there are about 500 people without food
and shelter, The hres have nearly burned
out and this morning the smoke cleared
away so that the. sun was visible most
Of the afternoon.
The smoke was thicker in Portland this
morning than at any time this year. Be-
tween midnight and daylight it was i'm
possible to see fifty feet away and the arc
lights could hardly be distinguished from
the nearest sidewalks.
In the harbor the steamboats, did not
dare to stir. as the smoke was so dense
that is was dangerous. In Multnomah and
Clackamas counties the fires have practi-
cally burned out and the settlers are re-
turning to their homes. Along both sides
or the Columbia river fires are still burn
ing, though the worst is over. In oregon,
as far as reported only two lives have
been lost. ~r sf,
The situation in ,Cowlitz county, Wash
ington, is deplorable. Twelve lives were
lost along the Lewis river on Sunday and
many miles OF valuable timber laid waste.
Communication is cut off with a section Of
the country around Mount st. Helens, but it
is not thought there was loss Of life there.
TACOMA, Wash, Sept. 15.-The smoke
has cleared AVA and the sky is again
visible. Fires have abated in all directions.
Reports from Marion county say the sky
has cleared there, the fires have ceased
and the men have gone back to work in
the logging camps. The damage is less
serious than had been spprehended.
SEATTLE, Wash, Sept. 15.-A special to
the Times from Kalama, where great loss
of life from forest hres was reported Sat-
urday and yesterday. says: News from
the fire on Lewis river yesterday confrms
the report OF Saturday night and adds to the
losses. The fallen timber has blocked the
only road leading up the river, so that
the work of the r~escuers is slow. A party
of ten persons. with a team MAS known to
be camping in the timber. The charred
remains Of the team and wagon were
found, but no trace Of the. people can be
found.
A great number of people were in the
timber at and around Trout lake fishing
and hunting, but no authentic reports have
been received from them and It is feared
there has been 1855 of life.
~WASHINGToNptSept~ B,-The Interior
department., has Hslegraphed. the superin-
tendent Of forersr reserves in Washington to
employ additional men ito, guard the forest
reserves In that state against the forest
fires now raging there. The superintendent
is directed to make a full report on the sit
uation, the only, forest FIRE adyices SO far
reaching here being unofficiaI. The depart
ment also has teiegraphed for recommends
lions and suggestions as, to what steps
should be taken by the government to as
sist in fighting the hres outside OF govern
ment domain. The Interior department has
telegraphed $500 to use in fighting the fire
on the South Platte forest reserve in Colo
RADIO. Although CONGREGATIONS are raging in
'N1 1893 W NAA1S NNN
little damage has been caused to the forest
reserves there. %
BUTTE, Mont, Sept. IA special from
Kalispel to the Miner says: Forest fires are
raging on the north fork of the Flathead
river, on the Flathead reservation. Ranch
ers for two days. have been lighting the
flames, which are now beyond control. They
have sent for help, and men will immedi-
ately go to the scene. The fire started In
a windfall and spread rapidly over one of
the best belts OF timber in this section. The
exact location is near a large bed Of coal
and gradually going east and threatening
the destruction OF timber In the vicinity OF
Mcdonald lake unless soon checked.
DENVER, Sept. IA special to the Re
publican from Boulder, Colo, says: Fire
broke out today on Alabama mountain near
Eldora. The wind is carrying 1t toward the
heavy timber on Bryan mountain.