The morning journal-courier. (New Haven, Conn.) 1907-1913, 1908-08-05
FLAMES BURNING
THEMSELVES OUT
Canadian Fires Still Raging
but in sparsely Settled
Country, Eating up
Vast Forests.
PROBABLY ONLY so DEAD
Suffering Among Homeless Alleviated
by Prompt Action Of Neigh
boring Towns--Sum-
mary Of Loss.

Vancouver, B. c., Aug, 4.-The de-
forest fires which have swept
through the Crows Nest district Of the
Elk River Valley in British Columbia
since last Sunday devastating vast
stretch Of territory, destroying many
lives and millions Of dollars worth OF
wiping out entire towns and
thousands Of persons home
less. are still raging but are now sweep.
ing Wild and sparsely settled country
and 1t Is believed the worst Is over
The flames are eating through vast for
ests on the mountain sides and 1t Is
thought they will soon burn themselves
out for lack of something to destroy.
1t is impossible at this time to arrive
at a summary Of the situation as re-
CARDS loss of life and property with
even approximate correctness. So wide
spread 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 flames Is nothing
more than guess work. Stories OF MISS
Ing settlers are coming from Fernie,
Cranbrook, Michel, Hosmer and other
places. but many Of these have turned
up at some point far from their orig
inal habltation and It Is now believed
that the death list will not exceed fifty,
The property loss has been very
great, but this, too, Is difficult to es-
innate correctly. A conservative val
uation would probably place the
amount between 100000 and ST.
100000. Several thousand persons
have been rendered homeless, prin-
cipally residents OF Farnie which, ac-
cording to all accounts Is almost com
pletely wiped out scarcely more than
score OF. buildings being left where
once a prosperous town of 5000 In
habtants stood
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 we'll as many of those on
border states. In sending 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 diff
cult. Telegraph and telephone wires
were destroyed for miles In place and
this fact. taken together with the con-
Trajectory reports from the various
towns, has led to great confusion and
probably much exaggeraton as to the
loss OF life.
A summary Of the results OF the fres
has been prepared here, which is be-
! lieved 10 be a conservative estimate
as to loss of life and property de-
1 stroyed It is as follows:
Town of Ferae, about 5000 inhabi
| tants partially burned. with loss of ono
| life and s950,0o0 In property. Thre,
hundred persons homeless.
Town OF Michel, four persons report
cd killed and property destroyed In VI
| entity estimated at $1,000, 300 Details
1 unobtainabe owing to lack of commun
| lcation.
! Town OF Sparwood, sawmill village
| two killed and large mills, destroyed
i damage estimated at $4,000
Damage to standing timber through
out the burned area estimated at from
! $1,000. 900 to $4,000, 300.