The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-08-03

Spokane stands ready alone to
relieve the Fernie fire sufferers I'M
til other lines Of communication
can be opened up.
With that spirit before them the
relief committee has started to
work and it is expected that by
night $4,000 will be raised for the
sufferers.
Already carload of goods has
been gathered and almost 81 900 in
cash. Yesterday an impromptu
committee of chamber of COM
merce and city officials gathered
carload ofo goods between 10
o'clock in the morning and 2:30 in
the afternoon. 1t took just As min
utes to load the car.
d. G. Corbin, head of the Spo-
kane & International, transported
the goods free and this morning
he informed the committee that he
has provided special baggage car
for this afternoons run into the
firebound district. Canadian gov
eminent officials have waived the
duty on the goods so anything that
was dutiable before may now be
sent to the fire sufferers free.
All the goods are being sent to
Cranbrook, B. c.. which Is the clos
est point to the fire district. Gran
brook Is flooded with refugees,
mostly women and children. Mayor
]. B. Fink today wired Pres. F. E.
Goodall OF the chamber Of com.
merce of the principal needs. Milk
and bread is what are wanted
most. The little children and
babes in arms are suffering terribly
for milk.
Eighty gallons will be sent on
the special car this afternoon and
80 gallons more in the morning,
and enough thereafter to relieve
the suffering.
The Cranbrook mayor has organ
lied a relief and hospital corps
that Is doing grand work. All the
public buildings of the town have
been turned into dormitories.
There are more than 1000 ref
ugees in Cranbrook already and
by night several hundreds more
are expected. They are fleeing in
from all surrounding towns. The
fire belt is continuing to expand.
and Cranbrook is the only town
which is secure on account of its
geographical location.
In consequence 1t is the point OF
refuge on all sides and the destina-
ton of the people fighting for
their lives.
The chamber of commerce wants
camp utensils as much as anything
else today. Cranbrook Is a small
place and there Is not near enough
room to accommodate the unfortu-
nate refugees. If camp utensils are
provided it will relieve more sui
fering than anything else.
Besides the milk that will be
sent this afternoon 1900 loaves of
bread, Is cases of canned soup and
tons of groceries and clothing will
be rushed through.
When the relief meeting was
called to order in the assembly
room of the chamber of commerce
this morning a crowd of really
workers offered themselves an en-.
tered heartily into the spirit. Pres.
+. e. Goodall delivered speech
appealing for aid ON behalf of the
sufferers.
1T Is up ito Spokane and no 9TH
err town just nowo," he said. "Spo-
kane is the natural supply point
in fact the only point from which
supplies can be sent, 1t Is our
duty and | am pleased to see the
citizens so ready to face the
crisis"
The meeting got to business
quickly and appointed George T.
Crane financial secretary. All do
nations of goods or money should
be delivered to George Dreher, as
sistant secretary of the chamber,
who will give receipts.
That goods and finances will be
abundant was indicated as soon as
the people gathered this morning.
The telephone was kept busy with
offers of aid of every description.
The following relief committee
was appointed:
F. Il. Goodall. Joe Phillips, G. T,
Crane. A. w. Jones, Fred E. Bald
win, NJ. b. Watkins. B. r. Ostran-
der. Jake Schiller. Jake Hill, T. II.
Brewer, John Dewitt. Rev. Mills.
J. II. Spear. II. L. Blocker. E. F.
Waggoner. w. II. McCrea. p. ID.
Tull. NJ. d. Hall, G. c. Corbaley,
r. insinger. w. G. Mohr. Jay 4.
Graves. VI. NJ. Richards.
The committee has been sub
divided into districts. Each one
will go over the town and gather
subscriptions. Not much is ex-
pected to be done after today. 1t
will take only couple of days, 1t
Is expected, to relieve the present
! auffariup Therefore .ha commit