The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1908-08-07
FERNIE, B. C., AND SURROUND
ING TOWNS COMPLETE
LY DESTROYED.
Over 100 Lives Reported Lost-=-R Railroads
Suffer Heavy Loss===800O People
HOmeleSS===Aid Wanted.
Fleeing From Flames.

Fleeing From Flames.
Winnipeg, Man., Aug. 3.-As a result
of bush fires, the town of Fernie B.
c., is wiped out as a child cleans a
slate; Michel, IA miles distant, is in
flames, and the fate of Hosmer, Olson
and Sparwood, intervening towns, is
in doubt, they being cut off from all
communication.
Over 100 lives are known to have
been lost, "A of them at Fernie.
A territory of 100 square miles in
extent is seething mass of flames.
Through it are scattered hundreds of
lumber men and prospectors, so that
the actual loss of life will not be
known for days. The property of the
Canadian Pacific and Great Northern
railways is destroyed and bridges and
rolling stock burned so that it is i'm
possible to enter or leave the burning
area
The inhabitants of the towns have
fled to open districts in the vicinity in
hope of safety. The railways have
placed all available trains at their dis
posal, and unless there is a change of
wind the whole of the Crows Nest pass
country will be left in flames.
The confagration is the greatest
which has ever ragged in Canada and
ranks only with the San Francisco dis
aster.
Call for Aid.
Starvation has been added to the
terrors. When the people left their
homes for the protection camps little
or no provisions were taken and now
there are some 5000 on the prairies
with nothing to eat.
The mayor of Fernie has sent call
for assistance, which is being rapidly
responded to.
Fire Towns Population.
Nelson, B. c., Aug. 3-The popula-
ton of the stricken towns, according
to latest figures, is as follows: Elko,
400; Fernie, 5000; Michel. 1900; Hos.
mer,, 1000; Coal Creek, 1900; Morris
sey, 100. The Crows Nest pass in this
vicinity is the richest in the dominion.
Advices received here are that the
Canadian Pacific loss amounts to ap-
proximately half million dollars. 1t
is estimated that the Great Northern
bridge at Hosmer is now burning, also
100 cars of coke and coal. The fire
is spreading to Coal Creek, town of
| 1900 inhabitants.
256 Miles From Spokane.
Fernie is 256 miles from Spokane by
| the Spokane International-Canad
Pacific railroad, slightly less than 10
hours run by the Soo-Spokane flyer
| The Great Northern line also runs into
Fernie, the mileage from Spokane by
this road being about the same.
Later Report.
When night fell over the ashes of
Ferie Monday Is corpses had been
found among which were the bodies OF
Mrs. Addie Turner aged rs; Walter
Ford aged 40; Mrs. Walter Ford son
aged 2 and a daughter aged 8; and
several more who could not be identi.
fed.
1t is believed that the death list in
the vicinity of Fernie will reach $50.
Chief Of Police Cook with a number
of deputies has been searhcing all day
where ever it was reported lives were
lost and it is believd that many other
bodies will be found.
No attempt has yet been made to list
the missing, as families are separated
in the mad rush to get out of town dur.
ing the fire.
Fires are still burning in the noun.
tains all about Ferie, but there is moth.
ing left in town to burn.
Blackened chimneys and few tot
tering ruins stand up boldly above the
ashes fitting monuments to the destroy
ed city.
1t is rumored in Nelson that the fret
were started by Italians who hoped
thereby to liberate a few of thei,
friends in prison at Fernie.
1t is said the towns of Hosmer and
Michel, Coal Greek have been saved
from destruction although few houses
have burned in those places.