The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-08-23
Superintendent Of Northern
Pacific BUSHES Trainload OF
Men Into the Danger Zone
and Does Great Work.
FLAMES ROARING IN
EVERY DIRECTION
Regardless of Danger. the
Railroad Crew Attacks the
Fires Raging on Three Sides
of SaIteSe, in Montana,
EIGHT MEN DEAD IN MINE

ISSOULA, Mont, Aug. 22.-The
NJ following from the MissOulian's
CORES pendent, with the North
ern Pacific relief train at Saltese, was
received this evenings
after hours of the finest fighting L
ever SAW, Saltese Is safe. Superinten-
dent Fowler and his Northern Pacific
men did the work and they did IL so
well that there were NO property losses
In the little mountain town except The
railway stOckyards and six residences
ON the west end of the flat. liz was
a fierce fight and the railway men were
well Organ1zed. well equipped ana
splendidIy directed. Ii did not seem
possible that the town could be pro-
teefed when the flames came sweeping
down upon ID from three sides, but Mr.
Fowler and his men did the work and
the people who fled from saitese Sat
urday night VIII return TO find their
homes and places of business intact.
The Northern Pacific relief train,
which left MissOula at 2 O'Clock sun
day morning TO help Mullan. did not
get over the divide to the Idaho town,
but it performed its mission just as
satisfactorily in another place. The
train reached Saltese Sunday forenoon
through dense smoke and flashes OF
fire the pail of smoke that hung over
everywhere gave the impression that
fire was near, and the sensation OF I'M
pending danger was heightened by the
roar of the eVer-Stren gthening wind
and the increasing heat of the atmOs
phere At Saltese it was found that
the wires were all gone on the Idaho
side and there were stories of ad-
Vanclng walls Of flame on the divide.
1t was a doubtful situation. but after
looking fl all over Mr.. Fowler decided
to push on as far as he could, and If
Mullan could not be reached to help
wherever help was needed.
Up the steep mountain grade west
Of Saltese we went through an in
! creasins volume Of smoke and the
air became laden with ashes and en-
beTs. AT times the flames were so
close as to seem dangerous, but the
train pushed on and would have crossed
, the divide DOVE 10 Mullan had it not
been for a burned bridge, which was
encountered near Borax. There we
stopped.
Compelled 10 Turn Back.
Further progress was impossible,
and there were signs that the flames
were thanking us so we dropped back
down the mountain to Saltese. 1t was
well that we did; we were not needed
at Mullan, and we found Saltese in
dire danger We reached Saltese none
too soon; the fire was a scant half
hour behind US and ii was coming with
a rush down the narrow canyon
, through which we had just passed The
main canyon of the St. Regis was
arlame on both sides; it was sitting
not Also, down Silver creek to the
| south and down Packer creek to the
north, two other fires were coming at
the rate of four miles an hour. The
wind had increased to a gale and
swirled in all directions. Borne upon
the fierce blast were huge flaming
| brands and great chunks OF moss all
arlre like the fireballs of the Chinese
warriors. There were cinders and
ashes everywhere. 1t was almost i'm
| possible to see and to breathe was TO
burn the lungs till they smarted
such was the situation which Super
lntendent Fowler faced. From three
sides the fire was coming with a rush
az each Of the channels led right into
the town. Then came the best and
| fastest work / have ever seen 1t was
worth while to see the railway forces
swing into action Bucket brigades
| were formed; men were sent out. with
shovels, the Officers in command had
their men lined up with the precision
and effectiveness of soldiers into ac-
ton.
Won BY Hard Work.
In a few minutes the flames closed
IN; there was a roar as of thou
sand cyclones there was the cracking
of flames; there was the dread glare
and there was the awful realization Of
the force on the onrushing destroyer.
/ But the fire did not encounter the easy
prey which il would have found an
! hour earlier; IL was met by determined
men. well equipped and all ready for
battle. and the men won.
This was at Z o'clock Sunday night
A watch was posted TO guard against
possible danger, and a council of war
war held TO determine what next should
| be done. Then it was that the discov-
cry was made that our bridges had
been burned behind US. We could not
go toWar1 MisSOula. if We could And
the fire was sweeping on down the St
| Regia, Henderson and Haughan. be
| yOnd which lay BufoFd and the two s.
| Regis towns. Four OF us started down
| through the burning canyon this morn
| ing
Returned ON Handcnr.
We used q handcar and we made
st. Regis all right. 1t was an inter
| esting trip. / have played football and
l have pulled an oar, but my arms AMI
| legs were never so shaky and tired as
| they are now with the effort of that
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