The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1910-09-01
DEATH FOLLOWS FLAMES.
Forest Fires Continue to Sweep
Over Western Country Leaving
Death and Destruction In
their Wake.

from the st. Joe country are to be
believed, the loss of life along Big
Creek, tributary of the st. Joe riv-
er, was appalling and the dead in
Idaho alone will number more than
200, even if Ranger Hahn and his
"a men turn up,of which the forest
officer in Wallace is not hopeful.
All estimates of the financial los
ses place it at over s20,o0o,OOO
mostly in timber.
Supervisor Wiegle has given hope
for the safety of Ranger Hahn and
81 on the headwaters OF the 81. Joe
river. Ranger F. A. Herns, at the
head OF a still larger party on the
ST. Joe is safe.
The loss of life occurred mostly
last Saturday and Sunday, when
gale famed smouldering embe rs into
great fires and drove flames through
the mountains with the speed of an
express train, giving fire fighters
no chance to flee for their lives.
None of the towns in Idaho and
Montana is now in danger and the
critical period of the fire is passed.
Awaiting News.
With Sc employees of the forest
service known dead and grave fears
felt for a number of others who are
missing, headquarters of the Occur
d'Alene forest service at Wallace,
Idaho, is anxiously awaiting news
from the relief expedition sent to
rescue Ranger Joseph b. Hahn and
81 men who have not since been
heard from Saturday when they
we're on the headwaters of the St.
Joe.
With the opening of the Chicago,
Milwaukee &Pudget Sound into the
ST. Joe valley, discouraginS news is
beginning to come out. 1t appears
that 600 men were at work on Big
Creek last Sunday when the wind
blew flames through the canon. APP
parently truthful accounts Of the
loss of AZ of the men were received
today. These deaths should not be
confused with the losses reported
from Avery.
Many Bodies Found.
Near Avery Al bodies have been
found and 10 Japanese, four ne
gro soldiers are missing.
SiXty-five men, natives Of the
Mediterranean country, arrived in
Spokane today from Big Creek and
said Is Austrians and two American
choppers were burned to death last
Saturday. From the story of the
survivors it appears that these vic
tins were working at point far-
ther up the creek than the 30 ltal-
ians already reported dead.
The Austrians were undertaking
to back fire but their work was so
unsuccessful that they were killed
by the fire they themselves had just
lighted which ran back on them and
drove them against a wall of flames
advancing from the opposite direc-
ton.
The towns on the line of the Co.
lumbia and Puget Sound, short
coal road, are in greater danger
than those along the Milwa lkee line
The Columbia S agent at Isiior re-
ported today that the fire with
in 700 yards Of the town. 3e ad-
ded:
Worst Yet to Come.
1.-TWO houses on the outskirts were
burned last night. Wind blowing
hard When fires get into heavy
timber above here nothing can save
the town Worst is yet to come
The Columbia & Puget Sound
sent a passenger train to Tailo last
night and is holding it there ready
to bring out the people. Tailor is
a town of 600 population.
Warden Simons received the fol-
lowing telegram today from Ranger
Stone at Moncon, on the line OF
the Milwaukee:
"The fire here is from one OF
three miles wide. Need all the help
| can get Can not keep fire back.
Loss to personal property great and
possibly some live los y"
Warden SimOn3 nGs teleEraphed
TO the navy and var departments
asking that the forts ard warships
on Puget sound fire all their big
guns at O'Clock tomorrow morning
in tie hope the detonation will
start a general rainfall over west
ern Washington.