The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-07-29
RAGING FOREST FIRES
ONE HAN DEAD, FOUR INJURED
LumbeF Company canp Destroysa-Men
RSDd Refuge in crsek-FHres in 81. Doe
ceuntry Destroy Timbsr-Leaaas Are
neavy.

Fire at Camp No. 2, Of the B. r.
Lewis Lumber company, Tuesday
afternoon, destroyed the camp, con-
sisting Of bunk and boarding house
and supplies, In addition 10 causing
the death Of one man and serious in
jury Of number Of others. The loas
il placed at $500 with no Insurance..
The camp IL situated on Mica creek
about III miles from town. A tim
Der Gre has been burning in the
vicinity for a number Of days and
the company had logged OF the tim
Der near the camp, leaving the slash
ings on the ground. These had be-
come finder and IL il supposed
ignited from sparks carried from tho
other Ore. The flames spread rapid
~ and all efforts 70 stay their pro-
gress were soon abandoned and the
men in camp az the time, numbering
about q dozen, began q fight for life.
The heat became unbsarable and the
men were driven into Mica creek,
where they were compelled 20 kesp
under the water and protect their
heads and faces with vet clothing or
any other material 10 be occurred.
For q time 1t was a veritable hell 10
them, the torrent Of fame and heat
pouring over their beads making the
struggle for life terrific. Dants's
"Inferno" became a living, septhing
reality, with all its terrOrs, and for
time IL seemed that all in the
stream must perish. Rabbits and
other small animals, hopping on
burned stubs and sinsed Of their fur
by the heat, plunged into the
stream without showing the least
fear OF the men.
In an effort to reach the stream,
George Bohn was overcome By the
heat and smoke and met death in an
heroic effort 20 escape the frey furn-
ace. He is about so years Of aEe
and has q wife and family at Ned
ford, Wisconsin, 70 which place the
remains we're shipped after being en-
balmed at Hedal's undertaking
establishment. His family vas pre-
pairing 70 come to the west.
Among those who took refuge In
the water and we're injured are
Charles Ak, burned about the face;
Tennessee Lee, a married man, feet
and hands burned: E. Neeley. clerk
aud timekeeper burned severely
about the head and neck; Patrick
Mclaughlin, a logger who bad just
reached the camp. burned about the
head and face. The body of Bohn
aud the injured men were brought to
town during the night on q steamer
and the men are receiving treatment
at the Occur d'Alene hospital.
The camp had accommodation foi
about 100 men and the crew vas IL
the timber at the time of the Ere
some distance from the scene, con.
sequently they escaped injury.
ST. JOE RIVER FIRES.
At ST. Maries a serious forest IRE
was reported to be raging In the
Mica creek country by Grant Miles,
a settler in that country. The Gre
started Monday aud at once COM
menced to spread very rapidly and
threatened great damage to the tim
Der claims in the vicinity. Between
20 and 80 men left St. Maries on the
steamer Sohley Monday evening and
number Of others were picked up
as the boat assembled the river, and all
started from the head Of naviga-
tion to fight the flames.
Fires can be seen starting up In
every direction from st. Maries.
which, II not checked. will result In
greater destruction to standing tim
her than has been known for years.
A fierce fire started Sunday night
in section so, township As, range >
east in the Mica creek district. about
/ / miles from st. Joe. burning over
Mr. Bowman's homestead and about
running II. The settlers have turned
cat to fight the fames. Al last sc.
count the fire was still fiercely rag
ing, running north, but the hope was
expressed that it would be checked.
Much valuable timber is threatened
& with flestFnftfnr