Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-08-04
BIG BLAZE
 IS STILL
 RAGING. More Than Hundred Miles Burned. MAY BE ACROSS LINE. American Side of the Border
 Threatened. NUMBER OF DEAD UNKNOWN. No Accurate Estimate of Loss Is
 Yet Possible.
NUMBER OF DEAD UNKNOWN.
No Accurate Estimate of Loss Is
 Yet Possible.

Cranbrook, B. C., Aug. 4.-The great forest fire which in one day destroyed the towns of Fernie, Coal Creek, Hos mer and a section of Michel, in the rich Kootenay mining district of Brit ish Columbia, causing loss of at least POO lives and the destruction of more than S5,Oo0,OOO worth of property, is still raging.
 The flames thus far have consumed much more than a hundred square miles. and the latest authentic reports indicate that they are sweeping with great speed toward the Montana border. They may now even have crossed the line and entered the Unit ed States.
 So meager is the news from the mountain towns that no exact estimate of loss of life can be had. and prob- ably the number of those who perished never will be known.
 The estimates run as high as 200, while the property loss is probably over S5.0O0,O00, The whole country be- tween Cranbrook and Michel has been placed under martial law by the Brit ish Columbia government. and all energies are bent to relieving the dis tress of the survivors.
 Bodies of Forty Dead Seen. First arrivals from Fernie place the death list there at 200. The bodies of over forty dead were said to have been seen along the track between Michel and Frank. In one lumber camp eight dead are reported.
 Wires are still down in the burning area. and the only authentic news is brought out by men who have worked their way through the fire zone.
 When the flames first appeared in the bush at West Fernie the inhab- itants started leisurely across the river. But presently they saw that the fire had jumped the river in the south end. and then there was stampede Families were separated, and children having no one to guide them, wander. ed away from the line of escape and were cut off Shortly after the fire
 
 of flame ran through the west town to the bridge. cutting of this avenue of escape.
 Tales Told by Survivors.
 Many narrowing tales are told. One woman of West Fernie had just emerged from her home. which was on fire. She dropped dead of heart disease. The neighbors buried her in f her garden and then ran for their lives In another part of the city an aged woman. an invalid, was carried a short distance. but the heat became too great. She begged to he left to her fate. and her relatives. wrapping her . in wet blankets. fled toward the hills She was burned to death. Besides the Elk min. the Fernie and Cedar'valley companies places were burned
 The Wood -McNab people were sue cessful in fighting the flames. Many miners of Fernie went to Coal Greek to search for the bodies of Frank Bea. yer and Hilchmough. who were killed in an accident. Beavers body was brought to the surface. but the other could not be found. 4 painful sur. prise awaited the rescuers when they came down to Fernie. for by that time the place was burned and the trains unable tO move eastward.
 Peter I.aiOie was the last to cross the bridge. with his wife and two children. Two other children. as he supposed. had gone ahead with his brothc--in-law. hut. as f. proved. they Eaf bcen cut of and had perished.
 worrsn With Baby Lest.
 In another instance. while the bridge vas burning a woman rushed to the bank of the river with a rhiId in her arms. The water at that point was tTirbUleuf. fhe current heing broken by rOeEs Shc tried to signal those on t.le cas' hank auL failing. started to wade aeroSs. Eut the current threat e1et fo sweep her of her feet. anI she was forrr1 'o rsturH- She wept. toe her hair and rrayesI till she fell exh1HStesl Sle lay far a time on the g-uinI tiH a burning epIar fen near Ter. rnusfE- her Again <ha ran to ths water hallinz hez Iaby up to thnSe nl fIse other iauE- There Icing m si=l aF siL She finally hunted ID a ia=- tfssl the lahy on it with a shawl ant then r-She-I it out ints ;hs stream win Tasse- i1 the hape that an edf- w0ss1 carp it acrass Buf the ing r1Ihesl uTer znI uver sm1 tae shawl caEe Iss<e a.l -br rtTai sIisappesrsvl
 AS the f7r s4rle nearsr fhe m0-he- vatieI fa.s tae str~am azain- Whe1 last s1a sar- uas stzuIinz waist deep E tse Ez--eE.- Ehen fzze smoke rnllesl oser. sEg wtsa Eama< aa4 the watch- CTS he'd to ssaF fn ih-fr own safety.
 Lr- gal s-rs- Fo-rrs.er and E1rt Of