Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-08-05
FIRE RACES, BUT
 :. PERIL IS PAST.
Flames Spending Force In
 Unsettled Woods.
DEATH LIST DECREASING.


 May Not Exceed Thirty y-five-Suppiies
 Coming Into Stricken Country From
 Many Points Alleviate Sufferings of
 Homeless Settlers-Greatest Loss Is
 In Fernie, but Several Other Towns
 Report Fatalities and Great Damage
 to Property.
 Fernie, B. C., Aug. 5.-The great for est fire that has desolated vast areas and destroyed several towns in this section of British Columbia still rages unchecked through the pines and frs of East Kootenai A path of charred stumps and smoldering ruins stretches for nearly fifty miles along the tracks of the Canadian Pacific. At some points it is but mile in width, at others nearly ten miles. Only rain can put out the blaze. and weeks may pass before drop of water falls.
 But the worst is over. Few scatter. ing settlers lived in the woods and those have had ample warning. The towns are full of hope. Hosmer has been scorched, but now seems safe Crows Nest is not believed to be iD peril. Michel Is in the greatest danger and even there the fire fighters appear to have the nearest flames under con. trol. and unless high wind arises the town is safe. The men driven out of Fernie are drifting back to the ashes Nearly 800 are now camping amid the still smoldering ruins.
 It is asserted that proof is forthcom ing that three bush fires were started at Fernie with the express object of freeing the five Black Hand suspects under arrest in the jail. It is matter of fact that while most of the prison. CTS received their liberty the five sus. poets. heavily ironed. were taken to Cranbrook and will be sent to the pro yincial jail.
 Twenty two Bodies Found. It is now thought that the death list of the fire will not exceed thirty-five Twenty.two bodies have been already recovered. The work of estimating the property loss has begun.
 The miners are doing good work There are 1S6 volunteers to search for the dead The motto of all the men, as given by an old pit man. is, Any man as has place to sleep is to give 1t up to the women and children
 A vast quantity of supplies has been received. and more are moving into the stricken region by every train. It is chiefly case of organization now. and committees are working night and ! day. sssa4s saa r.a.s .t 5-sL ae
 Considerable petty thievery has been attempted. but a corps of special and British Columbia police Is doing ef. fective work. and malefactors are pun. ished as soon as found. There is no Jail. and so the officers .chastise the culprits with swift and muscular jus tice.
 Suffering Among Homeless.
 There has been suffering among the homeless owing to lack of food and shelter, but this has been alleviated or partly relieved by the prompt action of the people of every city in British Columbia. as well as many of those on border states, in sending both money and supplies to the burned districts. This aid has been most generous. and the temporarily destitute people will be adequately and promptly provided for.
 Means of communication with the burned section has been most difficult. Telegraph and telephone wires were destroyed for miles in places. and this fact. taken together with the contra. dictory reports from the various towns. has led to great confusion and prob ably much exaggeration as to the loss of life. A summary of the results of the fires has been prepared here which Is believed to he a conservative esti- mate as to loss of life and property de stroyed. IL Is as follows:
 Greatest Loss h Fernie.
 Town of Fernie. about 5000 inhab- itants. practically wiped out. loss of twenty lives and s4.0O0.OO0 or S5.oOO.- OO0 in property; insurance about a per cent.
 Town of Hosmer. about 500 inhab- itants. partially burned. with loss of one life and S2J0.Oo0 in property: 300 persons homeless.
 Town of Michel. believed not seri- ously burned but four persons report cd killed and property destroyed in vicinity estimated at stOO0.0Oo. De tails unobtaInabIe owing to lack of communication.
 Town of SparwOod. sawmill village. two killed and large mills destroyed: damage estimated at S2J0OO0.
 Damage to standing timber through out the burned area estimated at from s1.0oo.0Oo to s2.Oo0OoO. -