Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-15
FIRE WIPES OUT MANY LIVES
Many People Caught by Flames in Blazing
Northwest Forests
WORD COMING IN ADD HORROR TO HORROR
Campers, Pleasure seekers, LoEgcrs
and Hunters overtaken by h
Rushing Torrent of fire
in the Timber.

AANAA aN1NN - 80
by a raging forest hre which swept every
thing before It from Ariel, Cowlitz county,
wash, TO Mount st. Helena, a distance OF
twenty-five miles, eleven people are dead,
four are missing and over 200 people have
been left homeless, many with not even
clothes enough to cover their bodies.
The dead in Cowlitg county as far as
known are:
D. L. WALLACE, WIFE AND TWO
CHILDREN.
TwELvE-YEAR.oLp SON OF MRS
HANLEY.
JOHN POLLOCK, HIS BROTHER AND
CHILD.
w. r. NEwHoUsE.
MRS. GRAVES.
Four men who were working on q claim
belonging 10 James Hawthorne have not
been found and It is thought they are
dead.
Some fifty or sixty people we're camped
at the lake at the foot Of Mount st. Hell
| cna and have not been heard from since
the fire. II is not known whether they
escaped or not.
While immersed in the river Dimmick
saw one Of the grandest but most appalling
sights Of bis life. Great balls of FIRE
would roll up like cannon balls said he,
and then burst with a mighty roar. l have
never heard a noise to compare with It,"
AS soon as the fire had passed over him
he rushed to a neighbours house and found
that the family had been driven from
home and escaped. In the morning he set
out for assistance, but he found the roads
so INSTRUCTED by trees that had fallen
across them that his progress was very
slow.
story OF Refugee.
The first news Of the devastation was
brought to this city by Milo Dimmlck, who
experienced many difficulties in search for
aid, His description Indicates that the de-
Eastation there is great, and the destruction
is the greatest reported. He says there are
but two houses standing Of the twenty-five
in the place. The fire came upon them in
the night and entirely Unexpectedly.
Il had scarcely time TO get to the river
myself" said Dimmick, when the flames
were upon me and If l had taken time to
save anyone we would not have gotten
away"
KALAMA. wash, Sept. IA News
reached here late last night that the for
est fires on Lewis river have wrought
sad havoc. d. L. Wallace, wife and two
| children were burned to death. They we're
camping in the woods when caught by the
fire. Their wagon was found burned up,
the charred bodies lying near. A 12-year-
old boy OF Mr.. Hanley's also is dead. Mrs.
John Polly and baby and a brother. name
unknown. and Mr.. Newhouse and Mrs.
Graves are dead. Fifteen others were
found without clothing except gunnysacks,
Five logging camps are burned out COM
pletely. The following families have lost
everything: Eliza Street, o. S. Curtis,
l.. M. Chitty. Thomas Matthews, T. Xix
1 nFann III = IN E4lanI TR Mile anA ANhn-
The worst Of the hre is on Lewis river,
about twelve miles above Woodland. The
country is we'll, settled and there are
doubtless other casualties not yet reported.
Destruction IL Spreading.
The FIRE has spread from Lewis river north
to the Kalama river and fifty sections OF the
finest timber on the coast are destroyed. 1t
is impossible to give any estimate of the
amount Of damage done to property. Oak
Point, twenty miles below here on the Co
lumbla river, is totally destroyed. There are
no reports OF lives lost, but loss Of property
is estimated at about 5000, 600.
A great fire is also raging on the Cove
man, in the northern part of the county.
Everything combustible in it's path was con-
sumed. The air is full OF smoke and falling
ashes. HIS camp is reported destroyed;
Muckley Bros camp is destroyed; More
lands camp is badly damaged. Seven don
key engines are ruined. Two men from
Bars camp are reported missing, people
are panic-stricken and many are almost
crazed with grief over their loss Of prop
erty.
Cowlltz county thought it was going to
escape until today. when the reports came
thick and fast, each worse than the last.
Five people are dead and two missing, with
only partial reports from the burned dis
triet. The horrible news has cast a gloom
over the entire county that can hardly
be described. A courier Just arrived from
Lewis river states that there are but two
houses standing on Lewis river from
distance of thirty miles. and that not less
than fifteen persons have persisted.
Homeless People in RECON
PORTLAND. Ore, Sept. 14.-About 300
people are left homeless in Multnomah and
Clackamas counties, as a result of the for
est fires that have ragged for the past week.
Fires have burned over a wide scope of
country. but the greatest damage in this
state appears TO have been done in these
two counties. In a fire that destroyed the
town OF Palmer, near Bridal Vale, two
boys named Hamilton were caught while
trying to escape from the flames and burned
to death. The timber losses In Clackamss
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 is changed. In southern Ore
gon excellent work has been done by the
forest rangers and the destruction confined
to a comparatively limited area. Eugene
and surrounding country is now practically
out OF danger, though fires are still mensc-
ing. Tillamook 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 aban-
doned before the raging fsmes.
Region swept Clean.
The most distressing losses have been
those suffered in the vicinity Of Springfield,
Clackamas county. and Lentz, Multnomah
county. The S~pringwater region has been
utterly swept by the fires, and those who
have reached points in communication with
the outside world say that immediate help
must be sent in order to save the lives
rescued from the deVouring flames. Around
Portland the fires are dying down and the
people in the suburbs are resting easy for
the hrst time since Thursday. In all parts
- wAWW