New-York tribune., 1908-08-05
DEATH LIST NOW FIFTY
LOSS NAY BE $1,000, 900.
Flames Which Destroyed Fernie
S5oeeping Sparsely Settled Districts.

Vancouver, B. c., Aug 4.-The terribly de-
structive forest fires which have swept through
the Crows Nest District of the Elk River Val
ley, in British Columbia since last Saturday.
devastating a vast stretch Of territory, de-
stroying many lives and millions Of dollars In
property, wiping out entire towns and render
ing thousands of persons homeless, are st1ll
raging. but sweeping wild ana
sparsely settled country. and 1t is believed the
worst is over. The flames are eating through
vast forests on the mountainsides, and 1t is
thought they will burn themselves out
for lack of something to destroy.
1t is impossible at this time to arrive at a
summary of the situation regards loss of life
and property with even approximate correct
ness. So widespread has been the destruction
and so scattered are the people who lived in the
burned area of more than fifty miles in length
and three miles in width that any estimate
of the number who met death in the names is
nothing more than guesswork. Stories OF miss
ing settlers coming from Fernle, Gran
brook Michel Hosmer and other places, but
many of these persons have turned up at some
point far from their original habitation and 1t
Is not believed that the death list Will exceed
fifty.
The property loss has been great but THIS
too is difficult 10 estimate correctly. A con-
amount at S6,OOOOOO or 100000 Several
thousand persons have been rendered home
less, principally residents of Fernie, which, ac-
COrding 70 all accounts, is almost completely
wiped out, scarcely more than score Of build
ings being left where once prosperous town OF
five thousand inhabitants stood. There has
been suffering among the homeless, owing TO
lack of food and shelter, but this has been al
leviated or partly relieved by the prompt action
-S-I, I-1l.v, ,Ss
as well as many of those border states, in
sending money and supplies to the burned dis
trcts.
This aid has been most generous, and those
temporarily destitute will be adequately and
promptly provided for. Means OF communlca-
ton with the burned section have been
most difficult. Telegraph and telephone wires
were destroyed for miles in places and this
fact taken together with the contradictory re-
ports from the various towns, has led to great
confusion and probably much exaggeration as
to the loss of life. A summary of the results
of the fires has been prepared here, which is
believed TO be a conservative estimate as 10
loss of life and property destroyed. 1t is as
follows:
Town of Fernfe. about five thousand inhab-
itants; practically wiped out. loss Of twenty
lives and 81 600 600 or s5.O0O000 in property; in
surance about 80 per cent
Town of Hosmer about eight hundred inhab
itants: partly burned, with loss of one life and
$25o,OO0 in property; three hundred persons
homeless.
Town of Michel believed not seriously burned.
but four persons reported killed and property
destroyed estimated at $1,000, 900; details unob
tanable owing to lack of communication.
Town of Sparwood sawmilI village; two
killed and large mills destroyed damage esti-
mated at s250,O00
Damage to standing timber throughout the
burned area estimated at from 100000 to
100000.
Many pathetic stories of flight and in many
instances the death of unfortunate settlers who
we're caught in the swirl OF flames il swept
through the great forests of pine and fir,
coming in from the various points with which
communication has been re-established. 1t has
not been determined how the fire started,
whether through carelessness or design. but once
it had gained headway it swept with almost in
credible speed at times eating up the timber
as if it were dry tinder, lighting up the whole
country night and filing the atmosphere with
a choking smoke that often hid the from
view and turned daylight almost Into night.
Superintendent Hussey of the Provincial Po-
lice has been sent by the government of Brit
ish Columbia to the fre-swept region. and he
is now in charge of the relief work in East
Kootenay acting with the local authorities.
The Dominion authorities have offered to send
a detachment of Northwest Mounted Police into
the devastated region to preserve order, but
thus far the provincial authorities have the sit
uation well in hand The foreigners employed
in the mines in that district have given no
trouble and looting has taken place as the
fire left little of value TO loot A telegram to-
day from Mayor Fink of Cranbrook says two
thousand Fernte refugees are there and that ne
has no definite information to who or how
many perished.