The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-08-25
G O TIN u r D
r O -
p A G F. O n. E j
RED, LEAPINC

other under Rangers Rock and
Randall, third in charge Of Rang
err Bartlett, fourth with Jim She
hee in command and two or three
others, of which little Is known
| yet.
Frank Kruse of Missoula, and e.
F. Doree and H. Morston of Spo-
kane, were with Aliens gang and
were at the l. w. w. hall this morn
ing, where they were given temper
airy shelter.
The story Of the bands expert
ences during the last five awful
days was graphically depicted by
Kruse, a brawny giant who lowered
several inches above the newspa-
perman-who is well over six feet
himself-and looks as If he would
be able to life a flat car. He left
Mssoula Saturday and got to Av-
cry Sunday. They were sent out
SO strong-to place about 18
miles from Avery, under Ranger
Allen. They fought fires there un-
til Monday and then were near Bird
creek.
| FINE EV6HI W6GHGs
"The situation and scenes are
simply beyond description in the
country around Avery" said Kruse.
There seems to be fire every
where except where the country is
black and singed. The fire was
rushing towards Avery and while
We were out fighting the flames the
people in the town started back
firing. And they gave us no warn
ing that we were In such dire peril
The first we knew of it was when
we found that we were practically
surrounded by flames.
1--WE fought the fire all day Mon.
day and were almost exhausted
We were told that when veg OF to
camp that we would have blankets
and food, but we had nothing, to
sleep on but the bare grounG As
for eating, that was almost worse
We had not meat; nothing Put
beans and rice for two orr three
, days, and we were fighting the
| flames from 16 to 10 hours Ksday
{ and were awake most Of th rest
: of the time. We had some b{Seuits
: that were nothing more than dough
andwater and that was all We had
7 to sustain our strength"
: One of the men took out sam
l pie biscuit that he had brought
with him in his pocket. and II
= looked like a sodden lump Of dough
3 But it wasn't sodden. for when II
was knocked on the table 1t made
a noise like a granite block.
!, 1--WE started between l and
/ o'clock Tuesday morning for Avery
and had nine miles to 30. should
Judge" continued Kruse. we GU
\ our way through the flames ant
| hewed out a trail where the tree:
| had fallen across our paths. l can
| not remember all that happened
during that terrible journey. NUT u
| cut long tale short we finally go
} to town before noon. Other mel
from other bands we're there ant
we saw about 10 altogether
around there, who had broker
8 through the flames.
Q First we wanted food and ther
we wanted our money. We got
little food, but couldn't get. thu
money. Chief Forest Ranger Deb
J bit absolutely refused to give III
any. giving various excuses. III
+ said that the bank had burned
down, and then we asked him u
4 give us something in writing 81
: that we could later prove our clam
I against the government; he said NJ
hadn't time.
! "Debbitt wouldn't give US any
satisfaction and finally we were
made to leave town without even
: time check. Some of the men hat
: as much as $50 coming. but the!
had been working for about three
weeks. The chief ranger made tn'
militia in Avery escort us 10 tht
, station and we were forced to boart
2 a freight train, with the promise
that we would be ditched this sid'
I Of Spokane. The fire cut OF our re
: turn to Missoula and SO most OF III
: wanted to come to Spokane.
CAPTURED A TRAIN.
"The train took us as far az st
, Mary's and there they tried K
! make US get off, but we absoiutei!
l refused and stuck to the train. Tnei
J we went on a little farther ana nm
l ally consented to get off at Rosalla
as We were fearfully hungry. W.
cot off there early yesterday morn
! ing and asked for something to ca
and transportation. The rs people
there treated lis as If we we've plel
J and not chattels, and a mareAan
there, M. Paulin, who ownaGihSTd
ware store, bough us all ouu. brsak
fasts. He treated us royAAy. &nt
the mayor was no SLOUGH, either. M
got us a meal at noon and then a
$50 we fent down to the depot an'
took possession of a freight tEeil
which was going to Spokal9y TIL
crew objected, but we were sto'
many for them and climbedop stol
e of the cars" 2iA