Evening journal., 1910-08-22
40 DEAD In
FOREST FIRES
Property Loss in Northwest
Will Reach Beyond
Millions
STATES ASK MORE
TROOPS TO FIGHT FIRE

BY United Press Leased Special Wire
SPOKANE, Wash, Aug. 22-With
scarcely any Sign of absting, the for
est fires which Saturday and Sunday
practically wiped out the city of Wal
lace, Idaho. and destroyed several
smaller towns, burned to death up
ward of forty persons and caused mil
lions Of dollars property loss. rage
throughout Montana and Idaho to-
day.
II is too early to count the cost ac-
curately. as the burned area is so
extensive that 1t has been impossible
to get definite reports from most Of
the stricken districts. All agree, how
ever, that estimates of forty dead are
conservative and that the death list,
when all sections have been heard
from may exceed seventy-fve.
The property loss is millions-how
many millions none can tell at this
time. In Wallace alone the property
loss will be upward of 100000 and
at least twenty-four persons are
known to be dead there. In addition
to these four have been killed at New
port, Wash, and report from St. Jo-
seph county say that i75 forest rang
ers engaged in fighting the fires there,
have not been accounted for and it is
feared they may have perished. In
Idaho besides Wallace, Saltez has
been almost entirely destroyed, Elk
City, Occur d'Alene City and Mullan
are fringed with flames and a large
number of mining camps have been
wiped out
In Montana the destruction has
been even greater.
The town of Taft. a thriving new
town, Belnap, White Pine, Noxen and
Heron have been burned, according to
the last reports. Haughan is believ-
ed to have been burned. Debogia, ST.
Regis. Thompson Falls. Henderson are
all threatened and the Camas val
ley has been swept almost clean of
habitation.
In Washington several towns have
been wiped out Newport is burning,
the flames were entering Niehart at
last reports and Anatone. Gallatin
county is seriously threatened.
Everywhere in the stricken States
the flames have gained a foot-hold on
the forest reserves, and hundreds of
rangers, assisted by Federal troops
appear powerless to check them. In
around Wallace, reports show that
hundreds of families whose homes
were destroyed have fed to the open
country, where they are shelterless
and without food or means of getting
any. The condition of the people is
pitiable. Arrangements are being
made today In Montana and Idaho to
hurry supply trains to these people
with supplies, but the railroad lines
are so badly crippled by the Ares, tha
in many places It will be impossibl
to afford relief
So desperate has the situation be
come in the two states most affecte
that Governor Norris, of Montana. an
Governor Brady, of Idaho, are plan
ming to unite in a petition to Presi
dent Taft demanding further Fedora
aid. The United States troops in tn
two States and the northwest are no
nearly adequate it is said to cope wit
the flames and the President vii
probably be asked to hurry soldier
from more distant points to the seen
TO fight menace that has already be
come the greatest in the history Q
the American northwest
Governor Brady and Governor Nor
ris have both dropped all other du
ties and are personally supervisor
their States measures for relief.