The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-03
OVER HUNDRED HAVE PERISHED Disastrous Bush Fires in
 Canada. PROPERTY LOSS IS HEAVY Soothing Mass of Flames Covers
 Many Miles. It e Impossible to Leave the Burned or Burning Area-Thousands
 have Been Rendered
 Homeless.

Winnipeg. Man, Aug. 2.--As a re- suit of bush fires that started yester- day and still rage for many miles, Fernie, B C., is wiped off the map: Michael, fourteen miles distant, is in flames. and the fate of Hosmer. olson and Sparwood. intervening towns, is in doubt, as they are cut off from com munication.
 More than 100 lives were reported lost, seventy-four of them in Fernie. A territory 100 square miles in extent is seething mass of flames. Through 1t are scattered hundreds of lumber men and prospectors, so that the ac- tual loss of life will not be known for days. Much property of the Canadian Pacific and the Great Northern Rail- roads is destroyed, including bridges and rolling stock burned, so that 1t is impossible to entSr or leave the burned area. Inhabitants of the affected towns have lied to open country to seek safety. The railway camps have placed all available trains at the dis posal of refugees, and unless there Is a change of the wind within the next twenty-four hours the whole of the Crows Nest Pass country will be aban- doned to the flames.
 There is no possibility of estimat- , ing the loss of life and property which will result, for the flames are driven by a half gale, making it impossible ] to put up a fight against their ad- vance. The confiagratfon is the great est which has ever visited Canada.
 At present the fire is following the crest of the mountain above Sparwood, i eating down into the valleys on either 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 prospectors' claims in the track Of the ire, all of which are in peril
 Fire fighting apparatus is of no avail. i for the air is filled with fragments of | burning wood and sheets of flame seem | to leap ahead of the coniagration as if fhe air itself were In flames. The heat is intense, and many of the fire fighters have gone down ahead of it.
 Hosmer, a Canadian Pacific shelter town, has been wiped out.
 rchousands are fleeing from Michael to the open country. Several lives have been lost.
 Csranfrook has been wired to for ward ali available provisions and relief train is now travelling With aid.
 Bush fires are raging from Gran brook to the Crows Nest. Ine Wino blowing a heavy gale and all available mon are fighting the fire and west or Cranbrook 1t is under control. "e!e- graphic communication with Fernie, Hosmer and Michael Is out. Four men lost their lives trying to save the huge Great Northern bridge, fifteen miles
 west of Michael, but if was destroyed. Two men from Sparwood were taken to the Michael hospital. It Is feared Michael also is doomed, as the lire is sweeping eastward down the Crows Nest and unless the wind shifts the whole Crows Nest country will be laid waste.
 Peter Campbell. who reached Michael today, says the whole country between tCranbrook and Michael is a seething cauldron. The body of Peter Miller ! was found on the Canadian Pacific Railroad track near Michael. 1 Hosmer. Elko, Sparwood, Olson and Cokato are reported to be destroyed by Ethe fire.
 1 ghe Canadian Pacific Railroad is rushing relief trains with doctors. nurses. food and clothing to the desti- tute.
 ! A bulletin from Michael says: i This town is doomed unless the wind changes. Canadian Pacific Rail- road making up special trains to carry inhabitants to safety"
 W. w Futile. Mayor of Fernis, has wired Mayor Ashdown, of Winnipeg for relief, saying there are 5000 homeless