Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-08-23
By the Forest Fires in the
Occur O'A|ene Region.
Whole Section from Wallace TO
81. Joe River Burned.
Wallaes's Loss $1,000, 000- Hos.
pitfalls Full Of Injured.

Sunday. IS placed tonight at 50 per-
koEs. Forestry officials tonight re-
ceiver word that "a fire fighters had
been burned to death On Big Creek and
90 had met death on Superior Lake.
Word came today that 10s men near
Avery On the st. Joe river had been
but four came out safely. Six men
three miles from Wallace three near
MUilan and three at Wallace.
The whole country from here to the
st Joe river, e miles. mas been burned
over.
The loss at Wallace still stands at
81, 001 900 One hundred buildings were
destroyed. The hospitals are full OF
wounded, number of them being
blind.
Spokane. Wash. Aug. with more
than 50 persons known TO be dead, more
than 100 missing. 800 injured. half of Wal
lace burned and two or three villages
obliterated. forest fires tonight continue
TO threaten death and destruction in
northern Idaho. eastern Washington and
western Montana. Half a dozen villages
are seriously threatened by the flames
and their inhabitants by hundreds are
hurrying to places OF safety. Relief
trains are helpless in many cases owing
TO burned bridges and fires that lick the
tracks. Wallace is now safe and no
towns are burning.
The situation Is most acute in the
Occur D'Alene region in northern Idaho.
Reports from other parts Of the north
west are more encouraging than they
were yesterday.
Some Of the fires have been controlled,
others are less threatening in the alb
sence Of wind. while in some places the
fire fighters have diverted the course of
the flames from towns that were threat
ened
Three families of homesteaders. COM
prising Il persons, are believed to have
persisted In Latour Creek, near Toldo.
Idaho. in the forest fires They are John
Andres. wife and five children: B. A.
Smith. wife and two children and James
Osborne. wife and family
Several persons reported burned today
reached st. Joe after a perilous trip. The
fire Is only six miles from st. Joe to-
night and large cinders are falling in
town.
Twenty-Five men are probably sur
rounded. If not consumed by fires, on La
Tour creek. From Trout creek two men
arrived In st. Joe today after a terrible
experience. For two days they lay in the
creek. their heads under water excep,
when they were compelled to breathe
Fires ragged on both sides of the creek.
The hospital at st. Joe is filled with
refugees suffering from injuries and
burns. There are 100 refugees in ST. Joe
tonight.
The new fires that have sprung up in
the last "A hours have not proved serious
thus far.
A report today that the Colville fire in
Eastern Washington had broken out with
renewed energy Is untrue. The fire in
the Wallowa Reserve In Oregon appears
to be under control. A fire in the Wenat
Reserve In southwestern Washington be-
came dangerous yesterday and is still
raging.
In eastern Oregon. between Baker City
and La Grange, are several fires which
are doing serious damage to live timber.
There are Few sporadic fires in west
ern Washington and Oregon and in north
ern California. but they are not yet Sc
rious
Despite the efforts of 80 fire fighters.
among whom are go or more regular sol
diers from American Lake. Washington.
arrived today. none of the fires had been
put out
All the men obtainable have been draft
ed into service to backfire and trench.
The fires in southern Oregon are said.
in many cases. to be Of incendiary origin.
This has been a matter of general Cos
sip In Medford for several days but it
became officially published today through
dispatches from Washington.
No hope OF rain is yet given by the
United States weather bureau. The pre-
diction of the district forecaster for to-
night and tomorrow Is for fair weather
throughout Washington and Idaho.
Missoula. Mont. Aug. Prom ev
cry corner of western Montana and
ydaho this morning there are PRAYERS
tina: the weather bureau has forecaste1
accurately in predicting showers for to-
day. Nothing but rain can save the
situation. Tho hundreds Of weary men
who for deys have battled with the
flames In the forests are staggering to
safety with blood shot eyes and aching
limbs, immersing themselves in
streams and burying their faces in
mud for protection from the intense
heat.
The only Improvement in the situa-
tion Is at Wallace. where the remnant
Of the town that is left seems to be
safe from fire. and at Mullan. where
the town. threatened all day Yesterday.
IA believed to be safe. 1t is reported
that Saltese. in western Montana. is
also out of danger.
The town of Taft. DeborgiA Hender-
son and the old part OF St Regis are in
ashes. The old placer town of Muir
ray in Idaho, is in danger. The flames
have the upper hand Of the situation
in score NJ places. Rain is the only
salvation Of hundreds of miles of tim
Der and of many camps and small
towns. Men have fought the flames to
the lirIit Of human endurance and are
Withdrawing from the contests in many
Dlece Especially is the situation seri-
Gus in the densely t.mbered country
along the lines OF the Chicago. Mil
wankee and st. Paul's western extern
sion Here the railway has suffered
tremendous loss from fires in the very
REGION where snowslides wrought havoc
All .qst winter.
.DriH.-c~ on4 90 how, ta.- 49,