Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-08-04
Few Scattered Settlers Who
Lived in Woods Have Had
Ample Warning.
AT FBRNIE FORTY BODIES ARB
FOUND, TOTAL NAY NOT EN-
CEED SEvENTY-FIvE.
Summary of Crows Nest Disaster
shows Fatalities Have Not Been
So Great as at First Thought

Fernie, b. c., Aug. 4.-The great for
est fire that has desoalted vast areas
! and destroyed several towns in this
section of British Columbia, still RACES
unchecked through the pines and frs
of east I<ootenai. A path OF charred
stumps and smoking ruins stretches
for dearly 80 miles along the tracks of
| the Canadian Pacific. At some points II
| Is hut a mile in width, at others nearly
10 miles. Only rain can put out the
flames, and weeks may pass before a
drop OF water falls.
But the worst Is over. Few scattered
settlers lived in the woods and these
have had ample warning. Today the
towns are fun of hope. Hosmer has
been scorched but now seems safe
Crows Nest is not believed to be in
peril. Michel IS In the greatest dan
ger but even here the fire fighters APP
pear to have the nearest flames under
control and unless a high wind arises
the town is saved.
The men driven out of Fernle are
drifting back to the ashes. Nearly 500
are now camped amid the still smoking
ruins. Searching parties are looking
for victims OF Saturdays horror. but
thus far only about 40 bodies have been
found in the Fernie district. II is hop
ed the entire death roll here may not
exceed IS.
SUMMARY OF DISASTER
Vancouver r. c.. Aug. 4.-The fol-
lowing is a summary of the Crows
Nest disaster UP to a late hour last
night:
Fernie. town destroyed; Is TO 40 per-
sons killed, probably not more than 20,
no names available; property loss
So. 900, 900; insurance, s2,300,o0o; 5000
homeless.
Hosmer-One life lost. residence sec
ton burned; 900 homeless: damage
5000. 900; coal mine properties not ser
lousy damaged.
Michel-One life lost and four killed
three miles away; town of thousand
people half burned, people fed Entire
town viii probably be consumed with
loss of $1,000 900; no details obtain
able.
Sparwood-Sawmill village. two
killed large mills and adjoining build
ings burned: loss quarter million.
coal Creek-Not seriously damaged
Burned area-Thirty miles long by
five 10 10 miles ln width.
Damage to standing timber $4,000 900.
ACTS OF HEROISM.
Spokane, Wash, Aug. MANY acts
of heroism are reported during the
two and a half hours when Fernie was,
like a seething furnace. w. T. Healey,
of West Fernie. while crossing the traf-
iic bridge over the Elk river. came
upon a little girl lying face downward
in the dust and picking her up discoy-
cred that she was alive and putting
her on his back retraced his steps and
in some way reached the brick plant
Mt the south end OF West Fernie.
Charles Erickson of West F'ernie, u car
penter. found young girl who had
Just risen from q sick bed, sitting in
the door of a cabin holding a small baby
In her arms. The girl did not know what
had become of her parents and the
fire was fast coming ON the cabin.
Erickson seized the girl. who was
clothed only IN a night gown. under
one arm and the baby under the other,
and carried them to the Great North
ern tracks below the fire. Two other
little girls who had lost their parents
were found by Erickson, and carried
20 safety after which he returned and
found two old women Ia n cabin. One
OF the women refused to leave the
house and Erickson was compelled to
take her out by force to save hsr
life.
An old woman 90 years OF age was
carried by John Volume on his back
from the Fort Steele brewery below the
town 10 the Crows Nest Coal COM
pany's office, over a mile. Tho old
woman pleaded to be left to tho mercy
OF the flames. telling her rescuer TO
devote his time to saving useful people.