The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1902-09-20
FATAL FOREST FIRES rage
WESTERN wAsHINGToNs LOSS
valuable 11mbeF Ruined, Several
logging Camps and sawmIIIs de-
stToyed by FiFs-MaBy Lives sup
posed 10 he LOst-PeopIe fake 20
the Rivers 10 save Their Lives.

iokslhs roads near Shelton, but no dam
age Of consequence has been done, ex-
eept the burning Of one or two small
'resties. Trains are patroiling the tracks
all the time TO keep the fires under con-
troll The state land commissioner has
called In all his cruisers until such time
as Il will De safe for them to again go
into the woods
To the north and east OF Aberdeen the
greatest damage has been TO The timber
on the upper Wishkaha river Loggers
estimate that on this stream aud the che.
halls Al least lOo.OO00o Of timber have
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
ieai and the fires slowed down About
100 families are hSmeiess. Several per
sons are missing but no lives are known
10 have been lost The dre IN the COVE
man country has swept all before II for
70 miles down the river and across Ka-
lama river. Two men escaped death by
isIng Ia the river for several hours Ths
loggsFs in the J, Il, Hilla' camp were
awakened ~ midnight And fed for their
lives, leaving everything 20 burn. and the
camp vas destroyed Many houses hav,
h. "a l.
Ftres Near 1acoIL
Vancouver. Wash. Sept B.-Fred Bur
iinEams has arrived here from YAeol.. 80
mil4s north and states that a tea-rinc frs
has been raging In that vicinity for the
past tao days The nre. he says, Is now
burning IN The big timber district north
and east OF YAeolt While assisting 20
aghI the flames BuriingAme became sur
rounded by IRE and had 10 nee for his
1fs. lie Was terribly burned about the
head and face and upon his arrival here
vas taken 20 n hospital Twenty FAINT
aea have been rendered homeless by the
terrible IRE. which burned over q large
territory In ;hai vicinity on Thursday ard
Friday. The are was driven by strong
&ahAs ANsNH AEIF'ANNN 20 HaANN wan
circular motion. snd consumed every
,hinE In i,s path. Buildings and crops u
all kinds and much livestock were de-
stFoyod The IRE was 10 fierce in one
ns,Ehborhoo8 that a number os families
unable TO make their escape. plunged into
IA csnAs creek and lay in the water
greater portion Of Thursday night In or
DER 10 save their lives.
The IRE has now burned s;se,f out in
hat locality and passed on the north and
szA, candi,'ons are believed 90 be much
worse than ye, reported In the burned
districts remote from telephone ASd ,ele-
graph communication. and actual results
usli 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.
Il Is reported tina, the hotel buildings
a, 81. Martin Springs have been burned.
later.
Portland. Ore. Sept. i5.-Driven
from their homes in the darkness Of the
night by Raging forest fire which
swept everything before IL from Ariel.
Cowlitz county. Washington, 20
Mount Sc. Helens. a distance Of 25
miles. II people arr dead, four are
missing and over 200 people have been
left homeless. and many have not even
clothes enough 20 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;
". +. Newhousc; Mrs Graves.
-Four men who were working on a
claim belonging 60 James Hawthorne
have not been found, and il is thought
they are dead. Some 30 or 80 people
werp camped at the lake at the foot of
Mount st. Helens. and they have not
| been heard from since the FIRE
II is not known whether they escaped
or not. The first news Of the devasta-
ton was brought 70 the city by Milo
NJ. Dimmick, who experienced many
difficulties in making the trip out to
send aid 20 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 % miles, he says,
there are but two houses standing.
The fine timber from which the peo-
pie expected 10 realize fortunes has all
been ruined. The fire came on them
in te night, and was entirely unex-
pccted. Dimmick was asleep, and was
awakened by the barking Of his dog.
II hadscarcely got to the river my
self, when the flames were upon me,
and II had had to take time 10 save
anyone else we would not have got
away.
While immersed in the river, Dim
mick saw one Of the grandest, but most
arallinE sights, Of his life.
Great balls Of fire would roll ny
like cotton balls, said he, and then
burst with mighty roar.
| have never heard noise 10 COM
pared with it." As soon rs the fire
pasaed over him, he rushed to neigh
bor's house and found that the family
; had been driven from home, but had
eacaped death. When morning came
he set ont 10 bring the information.
The bridges were all burned and the
, roads were DISTRACTED by trees that had
fallen across them. 80 that his progress
4 was very slow.
Kalama, Wash, Sept i0.-Report'