The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-08-21

IGate City Leased Wire Service.]
BUTTE, Mont, Aug. 2o--Ienited
by forest fire, Wallace, fdaho, town
Of five thousand inhabitants, is burn
Ing, according to officials of the teie-
graph company here.
At $3.50 the wires went down and
It was impossible to ascertain further
information.
The operators left their key after
flashing message that the town was
afire and that there was little hope of
saving It.
Wallace is situated in a narrow
valley in the heart of a densely for
ested region. To escape from the
town the inhabitants would be com
PEELED to flee down railroad track
which is walled in on boti, sides by
steep ridges. Should the fire jump
across the canyon, the people would
have little chance of escape from
the valley. The wind blows almost
continuously down the canyon. It is.
believed that the forest fire which
was burning at Borax few miles
cast Of Wallace, spread westward
and reached the town.
Early in the evening it was evil
dent that the forest fire would reach
the town. All the AFTERNOON the streets
were lurid with the glare of the ad-
vancing flames. As evening approach
ed the smoke became SO dense that
the electric lights were turned on so
citizens could see their way about
the streets.
BY $3.50 p. m. the intense heat Of
the fire was causing the roofs Of the
buildings on the west side to steam.
Every bit Of available fire apara-
tus was brought into play and every
citizen, from small boys to old men,
lent their assistance 90 the work Of
attempting to check the advancing
wall of flames.
C. r. and NJ. switching crew began
assembling all freight and passenger
cars in the yards ready for a hur-
ried escape. Two fast engines were
coupled to string of freight cars
and hundreds of women and children
were loaded into them preparatory to
leaving at the sound of the fire bells
which was to be the signal that
the fire had entered the city.
Before nine O'Clock the frame
buildings began to rock SO violently
that occupants could scarcely stand
within as result of the action of
the heated atmosphere upon them.
A few minutes past nine O'Clock
the fire chief ordered all people out
of town and ten minutes later the
fire bells began to ring.
Almost simultaneously the whole
western side OF the city burst into
flamcc.
The locomotives whistIed wildly,
summoning the remaining citizens to
board the cars. The first train bear.
Ing 2,co0 refugees left the town at
e:15 o. M. At $50 the temporary
wires which had been hastily con-
nected up running to the east, went
down.
The electric lights were cut off as
the plant was burning and the aInr>St
the flames around to the east side
and practically all Of Wallace was
ablaze.
At ten o'clock the whole city wa:
ablaze and Wallace one of the fam
ed mining towns of the west was be
deserted city was left In darkness
The wind by this time had whipped
ing rapidly reduced to ashes.
TGate City Leased Wire Service.]
Newport Threatened.
PORTLAND, Greg. Aug. 2o.-A re
port received here late tonight state
the town Of Newport In caster
Washington was in Imminent DANCE
Of destruction by fire which hal
been raging In the forests.
Mayor Lutz has wired the stat
fire warden at Olympia, Wash, tha
the high wind which has prevailed al
day Is blowing the fire close to th'
city limits. The railroad line is tie'
up, and greatest CONSERVATION pre-
wallis as the inhabitants have no wa,
Of escape except by foot.
Libby Threatened.
MlSSOuLA. Mont. AUG. 20--Lbby