The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-08-03
CITY IN ASHES; 100
REPORTED DEAD;
PEOPLE FLEE:
GROWS NEST PASS COUNTRY IN
CANADIAN NORTHWEST IS At
the MERCY OF FIERCE
FLAMES.

CRANBROOK. B. c.. Aug. 3.-Fer-
ME, one Of British Columbla's most
prosperous cities Is In ashes. It's 5000
Inhabitants are refugees without food,
clothing or shelter. In the surround
Ing country some half dozen smaller
towns are threatened by bush fires
and the whole OF Crows Nest Pass
country II q seething mass OF flames.
More than 100 lives are reported
lost. a or them In Fernie. Through
vast territory are scattered hun
dreds Of lumbermen and prospectors,
SO that the actual loss OF life will not
be known for days.
Much property OF the Canadian Pa
cific and the Great Northern railways
Is destroyed. including bridges and
rolling stock. SO that 1t Is impossible
co enter or leSve the burning area.
The railway companies have placed
all available trains at the disposal Of
refugees and unless there Is a change
Of wind within the next "a hours the
whole OF the Crows Nest Pass coun-
try will be abandoned To the flames.
The flames are driven by a half
gale, making II impossible to put up a
fight against their advance. The con-
migration Is the greatest which has
ever visited Canada.
At present 5000 persons are camped
In the open. their only protection be-
ing shelters built OF brush, or blank
cts, while q constant shower OF sparks
from the burning area keeps falling
through the pail Of smoke by which
they are surrounded. For time CON-
munication with towns to the east was
kept open. but with the burning Of the
bridges across the Elk river this way
was closed. Scattered through the
valley are many small prairies and
all OF these have their groups Of ref
ugeeS.
The hills In all directions are a
seething mass OF flames, cutting OH
every avenue OF escape. The fire
spread with unprecedented rapidly
and IL Is feared that several parties
who tried to get through the pass
have been cut of. Families have been
separated and there is at present no
means OF checking up the fatalities.
At Fernie the Offices OF the Cana
dian Pacific railroad and the Great
Northern are gone together with all
Of the, rolling stock In the yards.
One hundred cars of coke, the+prop-
erty Of the Great Northern. are gone.
and the stock piles OF coal and coke,
holding about half million tons, are
In flames II Is now feared that the
fire may get into the mines them
selves, several of which are open Ia
the neighborhood. This Will mean
incalculable damage as the whole OF
the valley Is underlaid with coal.
Fire fighting apparatus are OF no
avail. for the air Is filed with frag-
ments of burning wood and sheets Of
flame seem to leap ahead Of the con-
fiagration as II the air Itself were In
flames. The heat is intense and many
Of the fire fighters have gone down
ahead OF IT, A correspondent at Michel
writes as follows:
There Is now some hope OF saving
the business section OF the town and
every available man Is on duty. Peter
Campbell has arrived from the Spar
wood district on a hand car with
three men, all OF whom are badly
burned. They made an attempt to
save the property of the Sparwood
Lumber company half way between
here and Fernie, but without avail.
They were at once sent to the hos
pital, two of them In precarious con-
dition. Mr.. Forester, manager OF the
mill. with his wife and about 80 men
were last seen trying To save the MILL
A line OF flame cut them OF from es-
cape to the east and unless they have
been able to get through to the west
all are dead, for the country Is a seeth-
Ing furnace.
Reports from Hosmer say that 1t
has gone with great loss of life. but
this lacks confirmation. A Canadian
Pacific engine and train Is being held
I'm readiness there in case II Is neces-
sary TO abandon the town and with
communication open to the east there
is not much danger of more loss or
life.
A Great Northern engine has
brought into Michel the boa, - OF four
men who had been burned ~ death
while trying to save the big Fridge
near Elko. The bridge was destroyed.
The body OF Pete Miller was found on
n railway track near Elko. He died
from injuries received while attempt
ing TO escape from the flames.