The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1908-08-05
DEADLY FOREST
FIRES IN CANADA
Fire Sweeps Through Crows
Nest Pass, North of the
Montana Line.
Greatest Loss of Life and of
Property of Amy Forest
Fire Recorded
Special to the Journal.

Special to the Journal.
Winnipeg, Man., Aug. "a black
ened waste as far as the eye can see,
the southern corner of British Co.
lumbia, along the United States
border, lies devastated today. Near
ly two hundred persons have met
death, property valued at So, 100000
has been destroyed, 5000 homeless
fugitives are suffering; one town,
Fernie, has been wiped almost COM
pletely off the map and several
others have been partially destroyed.
, This is the story of British Column
bias greatest disaster the toll of a
bush fire of which the first intima-
ton went out to the world in dis
patches last Saturday. Railroads
and the government are hurrying
relief to the stricken district.
The deadful confagration is still
advancing For forty miles the
tremendous bush fire has swept
everything before it in the Elk River
valley of East Kootenay, having held
! sway since p. m. Saturday.
For the last month forest fires
have been raging in the mountains
of the Elk River valley country. but
they have not been considered seri-
ously. Saturday morning heavy
wind sprang up from the west and
early in the afternoon the flames
appeared over the crest of the
mountain to the west of Fernie.
They ran down the mountain side,
and before a fire guard could be
organized had entered the town.
+ Within an hour the town was
doomed and the inhabitants sought
safety in flight, leaving their all be-
hind them. All night and this
morning the exodus continued, the
destination being small prairie in
the valley, three miles south of the
town.
At presents, 900 people are camped
there in the open, their only protec-
ton being shelters built of brush or
blankets, while constant shower of
sparks from the burning area keeps
falling through the pail of smoke by
which they are surrounded.
For a time communication with
towns to the east was kept open, but
with the burning of the bridge across
the Elk river this was closed. Scat
tered through the valley are many
small prairies, and all of these have
their groups of refugees. The hills
in all directions is seething mass of
flames, cutting off every avenue of
escape.
The fire spread with unprecedented
rapidity, and it is feared that sever
al parties who tried to get through
the pass have been cut off. Fami-
lies have been separated and there
is at present no means of checking
up the fatalities.
In Fernie the only buildings which
remain are six small shacks on the
bank of the Elk river, the offices of
the Crows Nest Coal company and
the Pikeswood warehouse. The of
fees of the Canadian Pacific railroad
and Great Northern are gone, to-
gether with all of the rolling stock
in the yards, the sleeping ar Osceo-
la being the only car left. One hun
dred cars of coke, the property of
the Great Northern, and the stock
piles of coal and coke, holding about
half million tons, are in flames.
A shift of the wind saved Michel,
ia town of $500 population, from
complete destruction, and there is
hope that the determined villagers
will snatch Hosmer from the nav of
the fire.
The following places have been
practically destroyed: Fernie, with