Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-23
FLAMES DESTROY WIRES
AND CUT OFF IL TOWNS
Wall of Fire Advances and Ter
r0rized Residents Flee

MISSOULA, Mont, Aug. 22.-The
general fire situation in this district
so far as early reports show, is still
discouraging. No word can be obtained
from any points on the Coeur d'Alene
line farther west than st. Regis, which
has been deserted.
Intermittent communication which
was in effect with Wallace early this
morning, was entirely cut off later, and
fears are entertained that the fires
have again broken out in that place.
Saltez is still safe, but is surrounded
by walls of flames. The Northern Pa
cific officials special is at Saltez but
cannot be moved, is bridges are burned
on either side. Telegraph and tele-
phone communication to that place
is cut off.
| St. Regis old town has been aban-
| doned by the women, children and dis
abled, only force Of able-bodied fire
| fighters being retained under Super
| visor Koch to make a stand against
the flames, which are steadily creep
| ing on the place Since daylight the
wind has risen and little hope is felt
of saving the place. The breeze has
veered slightly and is moving toward
the city from the east, and it is prob
able the new town will fall first.
RESIDENTS LEAVE THREE TOWNS
The towns of Rivulet, Superior and
Iron Mountain were abandoned this
morning. The Iron Mountain Tunnel
company's mining property, located
near Iron Mountain, caught fire early
today and was destroyed. Some minor
| personal casualties are reported A
relief party is to be started out from
Saltez over the Milwaukee railway
this morning for Borax, carrying a
large searching party which will at
tempt to find a camp of soldiers unac-
counted for since Saturday morning.
The forestry officials this morning
report the Camas country east of Po
tomac as being the scene of a big
fire which is covering both forests
and ranches. A large force of men
were started out by the Big Blackfoot
Milling company last night for Po
! tomac, and this morning 100 more men
left this city for the Camas territory.
| Overando, farther east is surrounded
! by flames which are only twelve miles
distant from the town on either side.
! The village, however, is said to be
adequately protected and in no dan
ger In the Clinton district of the Mis-
soula forest ten men are unaccounted
for. This force was engaged fighting
fires at the head of Swartz gulch. a
relief expedition was started out of
! Clinton to seek the lost men.
TWENTY-FIVE FIRES START
In the Bitter Root valley from Wood
side to Darby, a distance of twenty
miles on the west side of the Bitter
Root river, twenty-five fires broke out
| yesterday and last night destroying
number of foothill ranches.
| At Stevensville the fire on Kootenai
/ creek is moving toward the railroad
| property on the west side of the river,
/ but has assumed no alarming propor-
! tions.
At Woodside a large portion of the
! forest on Sweenev Greek was destroyed
| yesterday and six men We're badly in
| jured. These men are now in an inn
| provised hospital at Woodside. A fire
| is moving down Lost Horse canyon
! toward the city Of Hamilton from the
| southwest, but is still some distance re-
moved from the town. At Tarby
there is another big fire reported on
Lick Creek covering the entire summit
of the range.
Ranger Beatty took a large force OF
men to Miller Greek, about fourteen
miles south of Mssoula This fire has
a tWenty-mile front and is swinging
into the east side of the Bitter Root
valley. This force will be used to save
the towns not to fight fires on the for
est reserves, the latter policy having
been abandoned where villages are
lIIedleHGu
The RAILROADS can handle 1000 people
with the equipment now on the lines
between here and the stricken terri
tory. Refugees are still pouring into
this city with tales of distress and
many children are reported separated
from their parents.
FIRE ENCROACHEs ON TOWN
A report was received by the Rocky
Mountain Bell Telephone company at
II o'clock today from st. Regis, ad-
Vising that the wind was blowing a
gale directly from the fire zone to the
town. The report declares that there is
little chance for the old town now, as
the flames are circling and will soon
come in from at least two Sides A
marshy spot on one side has thus far
repelled the advance of the fire and
temporarily saved the town.
At the time the report was received
the Blackfoot Lumber Company had
15O men lighting the flames. While
the greater force is attempting to sub