The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1903-05-06
Thrilling Story Of Forest Fires in Elk
County.

NllldBtS VI i4dho
City and Portland Mills have narrow es-
capes. Terrific fires on Big Run, Max
well Run, Bear Creek, Wynkoop Run,
and Belvidere Run. Logging camps to-
tally destroyed, People leave every thing
and flee for their lives, Thrilling escapes.
Men pray who had not done so for years
before. Railroad bridge burned at Cory !
land. Great loss of logs.
The above would furnish only brief
idea of the history of last Thursday,
april 30. in the vicinity of the Clarion
River from Wynkoop Run, two miles
above the mouth of Milestone creek, to
the mouth of Little Tobey, distance of
% miles.
Bells shingle mill on Wynkoop Kun
was burned. Harrigan's saw mill, a
small portable affair, on Moore and Fay
lor's timber lor, was burned. Moore's
logging camp including Clint Jones'
household outfit was burned. Huff and
Daniels saved their shingle mill. Reed
town on Big Run including Shoup's
camp and about dozen houses or more
was totally burned. Moore's loss was
about $4,000. Reedtown lay in very
narrow valley on Big Run about a mile
and half back from Spring Creek. The
hills on both sides are high and steep,
especially steep on the side from which
the fire swept down into the valley. The
wind was blowing gale. When the
danger became evident the women and
children were put on a fiat car and with
some household goods taken to Hallton,
miles away. A lot of men remained in
the woods to try to save the camps and
the log piles. No one thought but that it
would be comparatively easy to retreat
up the hollow along the railroad to the
green woods, less than a mile away,
should the fire drive them out. But from
the hill above on the side from which the
fire was coming the wind blew leaves,
bal k, and chunks from dead and rotten
trees, all aflame. 1t was cyclone oftire,
literally. The whole valley was aflame
in few minutes, anil, under the cover
of the smoke that filled up the valley, be-
fore the men realized it. Up the valley
half mile was Crows camp. Beyond
this, another half mile, the green woods
and safety. In the smoke it was impos-
sible to see any distance with any cer-
tainty. TO the air currents set in motion
by the fire itself the wind, almost hurri-
cane, added its force, and the smoke from
the hill behind was crowded into the mar
row valley where it hung and swirled, a
pail of night and whirlpool! of death.
Part of the men retreated toward Crow S
camp. The others started to climb the
hill opposite, which at the time seemed
free from fire. The smoke was binding.
the heat awful. The fire caught up with
them and passed on ahead. 1t became
impossible to go back to the run. They
must go on or die where they were. 1t
was then about six o'clock in the evening.
At that time terrific wind storm came
up. Trees fell all about them. 1t be-
came so dark they had to hold their hands
in front of them to avoid coming in sud
den contact with logs and trees. They
scrambled through brush piles aud over
logs already on fire. The darkness was
so great and the smoke so dense that the
location Of the fire could be felt by its
heat rather than seen 10y its flame. Some
lay down to perish seemingly unable
to go farther. They were dragged and
urged along by their stronger comrades
, Many, possibly all, prayed, and not 81.
lently either. They passed through g
little bi' of swampy ground. They drop
ped for an instant to immerse their faces
in little pools OF wa'er. Some rolled
themselves for moment in mud and wa
ter to wet their clothes, burning from fly
ing sparks. To stop to rest meant to die
} 1t was impossible to keep close together
1t was one chance for life in thousands
! choking, gasping, exhausted hair anC
f eyebrows singed, hands and faces blis
tered, clothes burned full of holes, il
ones, twos and threes they finally reach,
: ed the green timber and fell completely
exhausted, unable for any further effort
Ten rods more would have sealed the fate
of most of them. Garret Wynkoop wa,
missing. lie was an old woodsman anC
: familiar with all the phenomena of th,
the woods. Next morning they founC
him, not far from a place of safety
, There was evidence that he had suffered
from hemorrhage Of the lungs. The eff
= fort he had made had brought on a las
and fatal attack. He had lain down OF
: his face, his arms placed so as to protec
his face. 1t seems evident that complet
Inconsistencies bad taken place beior
It attacked by fire. His clothes and shoe
: were burned almost entirely from hi
Q body.
: The men who had started up tine rail
n road reached Crows camp. They al
Q tried to reach the green woods but wer
shut in. Their only hope was to save th
camp and so themselves. Their situa
: uation was simply desperate. 1t was
t fight for life against great odds. Some {
: them rolled themselves in the run to ex
/. tinguish their burning clothes while the
2 fought back the flames. 1t was almoi
It impossible to breathe only close to tn
e surface of the water and the ground. Br
they finally won ont. The camp wa
saved. The strong wind hurried the fiji
10 along, and no doubt was the means {
(, giving fresh air enough to keepth IN ALIVE
:. The log piles burned like winiows Of DIR
, brush. The rapility of the fire is almo'
i incredible. 1t is estimated that in t.
y minutes the fire travelled two miles i
d straight line. While it lasted it was
4, hurricane, tornado, whirlwind of fir
and storm, cloud aud smoke, and of tel
= rnr and npaIh all rnllnd inin nnn