The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-03

doubt, they being cut off from all COM
munication. over 100 lives are known
to have been lost. four of them in
Fernie.
A territory of 100 square miles in ex-
tent is a mass of flames. Through it
are scattered hundreds of 1umbermen
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 are deS-
troyed, the bridges and rolling stock
burned, so that it is impossible to en-
ter or leave the burning area. The in
habitants of the towns have fled to
open districts in the vicinity in the
hope of safety. The railway companies
have placed all available trains at their
disposal and unless there is a change
of wind within the next "a hours the
whole of the Crows Nest pass will be
left in the flames.
There is no possibility of estimating
the loss of life and property which will
result for the flames are driven by
gale, making it impossible to put up
fight against their advance. The con-
f1agration is the greatest which has
ever visited Canada and ranks only
with the San Francisco disaster.
Loss $2,5OO.OOO.
Spokane, Wash, Aug 3.-A special
from Fernie. B. c., to the Spokesman
Review says:
TT is feared that the loss of life will
reach beyond the 100 mark, but there
are so many living people without
home or shelter or food to be looked
after that up to the present time no
effort has been made to ascertain the
number of those who have lost their
lives. In the district swept by the
flames there is estimated to have been
some seven thousand people. Two thou
sand of these people have been sent
west to Cranbrook and Elko; some
l, 500 fed from flames to the northward
and reached Hosmer and other places
along the line. The Great Northern
train took all the people they could
carry up the line, fighting its way
through sheets of flame before reach
ing a place of safety.
"Scores of families were separated,
husbands not knowing where their
wives and children were and in some
instances members of the same family
were in Cranbrook, Fernie and Hos
mer.
1.-The lowest estimate of the amount
of the loss is placed at two and half
million dollars and as nearly as can
be ascertained the insurance carried
will amount to something like one
and one-half million dollars. OF the
1000 people who had been housed
yesterday. 5000 have been taken
away. 1t is estimated by the COM
mittee appointed that there will be
$500 who will have to be furnished
with temporary shelter and food"
Not a Person Escaped.
Portland, Ore, Aug. o.-A special
to the Oregonian from Vancouver, B.
c., says:
A report from Cranbrook, the first
station west of Fernie, says that 81
men and 2 women were burned to
death in No. logging camp of the
Elk Lumber company. The camp was
surrounded by fire and not a single
person escaped. Hundreds of re-
fugees are being sent through from
Fernie to Cranbrook tonight.
Chicago Men Affected.
Chicago, Aug. 3.-The destruction by
forest fires in the Crows Nest district.
British Columbia, directly affects
number of Chicagoans.
T Frederick r. Lynch, who was man.
ager of the presidential campaign for
Governor Johnson of st. Paul. who
lives in St. Paul, and o. w. Robertson.
investment in the coal fields and lands
of the district. 1t is feared that all of
this may be lost. Several Chicagoans
are concerned in the investment.
Nearly Covered by Insurance.
st. Paul; Aug. 3.-F. B. Lynch and
c. A. Robertson of St. Paul, who are
the owners of the Elk River Lumber
company or F'ern1e, b. c., received
word from their manager there today
saying that the mills, lumber yards
and other buildings at Fernie were
destroyed, but no loss of life is re-
ported.
Mr.. Lynch says the loss would be
between 100000 and 100000 principal
ly covered by insurance. Their stand
ing timber which at first was report
ed destroyed, escaped with little dam
age.
Ninety-five Lumbermen Perish.
Chicago, Aug. Be. w. Stees, of
Caron, B. c., who has extensive inter-
ests there and at Fernie, is in this city
today and declared that he had receiv-
ed information from Winnipeg to the
effect that 95 lumber men employed by
the Elk Lumber company of Fernie had
lost their lives. This company is man.
aged by E. ]. Lynch, of st. Paul, who
looked after the interests of Governor
Johnson at the recent Democratic con-
vention at Denver. Mr.. Stees said that
Peter j. Seippel, of Dubuque, Iowa,
and H. d. Campbell. of Saltwater,
Mimi, both of whom are actively in
terested in the lumber trade were at
Fernie with their families and he be-
lieves from the printed accounts of the
disaster they must have lost their lives.
Mr.. Stees declares that the eastern
British Columbia Lumber company,
with which he is connected lost it's
plant and about 50,000,000 feet of lum-