Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-08-23
WALLACE, IDAHO
IS DESTROYED.
FOREST FIRES SWEEP OVER THE
CITY, BURNING MOST OF ITS
BUILDINGS.
LOSS OVER A MILLION; "a DEAD
Taft, Idaho, Wiped Out and Other Set
Elements Threatened. = Several
Western Montana Towns Re-
ported Attire.

Wallace, ldanO, Aug AA.-DoyAe"t
Monday showed that imminent danger
of this citys destruction had passed,
but it brought also confirmation OF
losses which were only rumored and
suspected Saturday night. AT least
two died in the city fire, John j. BOYD,
q pioneer of the Occur dAlenes, and
an unidentified man or woman VINO
was incinerated in the Michigan hotel.
ONLY the skull of the latter was found
in the ruins.
OF the fire fighting forces an ac-
curate toll of the dead and wounded
is unavailable, but the known dead
number "a, the injured rs, in addition
to 10 blinded by smoke.
The steady work of the city fire de-
partment, members of the Twenty
fifth infantry, colored volunteers, and
the forestry forces alone saved wal
lace from total destruction. The con-
flagration in the east end was stayed
shortly after II o'clock and back firing
on adjoining hills to the west and
south prevented new fires in those di-
rections.
Loss About $4,000
1t is estimated that the loss in the
city is about s1.OOO,OOO. The entire
eastern section from Tenth street to
Canton street is destroyed with three
terraces of residences on the hillside.
The principal buildings burned and
the estimated losses follow: Occur
d'Alene Hardware company ware
houses, s15O,OOO; Sunset Brewery,
$4,000; Pacific hotel and annex, $780,.
900; Occur d'Alene Iron works, $780,
900; Oregon Railway and Navigation
company depot, 100000; Times Print
ing company, s25,OO0; Worstell Furni.
ture company, $4,000.
About $50 residences are destroyed
any many other smaller business
places. Providence hospital and the
federal Lead company's big mills are
the only buildings saved in the east
end. The forest supervisor reports
that the entire country between wal
lace and the ST. John river is swept
practically clean and that the loss OF
timber is stupendous. Fires between
Dui NO anu MulIdu III estIoi po'H WINS
and many women and children are be-.
ing sent away.
A relief expedition will be. asganized
to go to Placer and Big, GHGeks, where
the fire fighters ca16ps are located.
These men have Been scattered over
the country driven hither and thither
by the flames. At War Eagle tunnel,
three miles from Wallace six dead
were found and two were badly
burned Five of the dead had sought
refuge in the tunnel They lay with
faces down in the water covered with
wet rags and blankets and had died
partly from the flames and partly from
suffocation. The injured We're relieved
lby temporary dressings and were
brought to the hospitals.
IL Dead In One Place.
| At Big Creek, IL dead were recov.
1ered, two injured and three unfortun'
Eates who were completely blinded
One fighter was found dead neal
tMullan and 16 were more or less seri
.Iously burned At Pine Greek three
jare dead, five blinded and five others
otherwise injured.
It is impossible to learn the names
of the dead, most of whom came in
from Spokane and other points at the
call of the forestry service. The bod.
lies are being buried wherever they
are found. Days and weeks may
elapse before anything like complete
estimate of the fatalities is available
Fires are still burning around the
city, but most of the hillsides facing
the town are now burned off and un
less the wind rises the town is be
lieved to be comparatively safe.
Two or three hundred people are
left homeless in4 Wallace, many hav
ing lost all their belongings. A thick
pail of smoke still hangs over the city
and at watch is being kept at points OF
danger. The water supply is good
The lighting plant, disabled Saturday
night, has resumed operations.
In tunnel of the old War Eagle
mine on Place creek seven miles from
Wallace al men under Forest Ranger
Pulaski were packed tightly together
to escape sheet of flames that swept
down the gulch. They Rugged the
ground and buried their faces in the
mud on the floor of the tunnel until
the fire went by, when. half mad from
the heat, they threw themselves into
the creek. Five were left dead in the
tunnl and another cut off from the
crew was found burned tn a crisn