The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-08-03
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
OF DAMAGE DONE
Fernie Has Been Wiped
Out and Michel is Center
ofa Raging Furnace Three
Other Towns are Sure to
be Destroyed Also.


dred dead, 10000 homeless, and s2O,-
100000 loss is already due TO huge for
est fires which are raging in East koote-
nay. Today's report say the flames are
sweeping a region one hundred square
miles. Fernie, b. c., has been wiped out
with a loss of rs lives. Michel, with
1856 people, and a miles away, was at
last accounts in the centre of raging
furnace. Hosmer, Sparwood and Olsen
with total population of 1875 are al
most certain to be destroyed.
At the camp of the Elk River Lum-
Der company 81 men and two women
were burned to death.
The total loss of lives will not be
known for many days. Telegraphc
communication with the places mention
ed has now eeased. The bridge across
The Elk river '.<zAbesn burned and com
.~sstsiisiea VI iAglep Il shut eli-
The oovernnIas Canada aud the
Province Of Nlttoria have started relief
work.
Every stick of timber property own
ed bg the Great Northern railway COM
pany is gone and the huge stacks of
coal. about half million tons are in
flames. The fire is said to have pene-
trated the coal mines in the, vicinity
For the past month forest fires have
been raging in the mountains Of the
Elk river valley country, but they have
not been considered seriously. Satur-
day morning heavy wind sprung up
from the west and early in the after
noon the flames appeared over the crest
Of the mountains to the west OF fernle.
They ran down the mountains, and be-
fore fire guard could be organized had
entered the town. Within an hour the
town was doomed and the Inhabitants
sought safety in flight, leaving every
thing behind them.
All night and Sunday morning the
exodus continued, the destination being
4 small prairie in the valley three miles
south Of the town. A constant shower
Of sparks from the burning area Is TALL
ing through the pail of smoke by which
thew are surrounded. Scattered thrugh
the valley are many small prairies, and
ali Of these have their groups of refu-
gees
The hills in all directions are seeth-
ing mass of flames, cutting of every
avenue OF escape.
TheA fire spread with unprecedented
rapidty, and it is feared that several
parties who tried to get through the
pass have been cut off. Families have
been separated. and there is at present
no means of checking up the fatalities
AT Fernie, the only building remain
A,p are six small shacks on the banks
u the Elk river, and the offices Of the
Crows Nest Coal company. The office
of the Canadian Pacife railroad and
Great Northern arc gone, together with
ell of the rolling stock in the yards, the
sleeping car Osceoa being the only cal
left.
One hundred cars of cake, the prop
erty of the Great Northern, are gone
and the stock piles Of coal and coke
holding about half a million tons, arc
in flames. 1t is now feared that the
fire may get in the mines themselves
This will mean incalculable damage, as
the whole of the valley is underlaid with
coal.
AT present the fire is following the
crest of the mountain chain above Spar
wood, eating down into the valleys on
either side It is travelling at a tremen-
dous rate and unless there is a change
of wind. will cross the boundary into
Montana within the next twelve hours
There are thousands of mines and pros
pectors' claims in the track of the fire
all of which are in peril A slight
change of wind has occurred and Niche
has been taken out of the more direct
path.
Fire fighting apparatus is Of no avail
able use for the aiy is filled with frag
ments Of burning wood, and sheets Of
fame seem to leap ahead Of the con
fagration as if the air itself were il
flames.
At 6 p. N. last night Michel wired a'
follows:
@There is now some hope Of saving
the business section Of the town anC