The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1908-08-07

Fernie. B. c., Aug. 3.-The most aw-
full conflagration ever known in the
western country has wiped out the
whole city of Fernie, West Fernie, the
annex, the old town and the French
town and all the lumber mills in or
about the city of Fernie.
A brisk breeze that had been blow
ing all the morning famed into fame
the smoldering bush fires in the slash
ings of the Cedar Valley Lumber COM
pany south of town, on the opposite
side of the river. The wind steadily
increased in velocity and volume, fan
ming the flames into a strong con-
flagration. which licked up the Cedar
Valley yards, west Fernie, the Elk
Lumber company's mill and 10000 900
or 100000 feet of lumber in the
yards, leaped across the Elk. renew
ing it's vigor with the fuel for fame
which it found in the annex of Fernie
The magnificent railway bridge of
the Great Northern, the lumber camp
traffic bridge and the Elk Lumber COM
pany's private bridge spanning the
Elk, connecting Fernie with West
Fernie, were all devoured in the tor
rent of fame
About o'clock the fire was discov-
cred on the east side of the Elk, be-
low town little piece, and the raging
wind soon famed this into another
conflagration, which swept. toward the
city, taking in its course the Fort
Steele Brewing company's brewery
and all the buildings surrounding it
were wiped out, as well as all the
buildings in the old town extending up
Cow creek to what is known as French
town, destroying everything in its
course.
The flames leaped Cow creek and
licked up Edgecliff, the most souther-
ly house in the part. It came across
the Canadian Pacific railway tracks,
burning the coal chutes, and was soon
in the heart Of the city.
Fire Came From Two Sides.
The flames coming from the two d.
rections and meeting in the heart of
the city confused the people so that
they scarce knew from whence the
greatest danger was approaching, or
whittier their road of escape was open.
After the fire had subsidized it was
found that except the Western Canada
Wholesale company's warehouse, a
concrete block building near the Cana
dian Pacific railway beyond the sta
ton, not business house of any kind
remains standing in the city. Banks,
hotels, offices, the Trites Wood COM
pany, the Crows Nest and every other
building of any description, except the
concrete office of the Crows Nest Pass
Coal company, which stood in the cen
ter of square, crumbled before the
awful cataract of flames like boxes of
finder. Today there are standing on
the townsite of Fernie between the
Canadian Pacific railway track and the
Great Northern railway line just %
dwelling houses.
3. Three bridges on the Canadian Pa
cific railway track between Fernie and
Sparwood are out, but it is hoped by
herculean efforts to have the road open
soon.
The foreman of the Elk Lumber
company reports that there are be-
tween 60 and 80 men in his camps up
the river, and so far he has failed to
find any trace of them.
Report From cranbrook.
Cranbrook, B. c., Aug. 3.-The ca
lamity at Fernie is more extensive
than early reports gave reason to be-
lieve The damage can not fall short
of $5,000,000, the greater losses falling
on the c. p R., which lost the coal
tipple, coal bunkers, depot, freight
store, water tower and over 100 cars,
and on the Trites-Wood company
which lost its magnificent store and
stock, and the lumber companies
whose mills and stock are wiped out
Fully 25.0OO.0O0 feet of manufactured
lumber is gone.