Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-08-24

tional forest may be destroyed.
| -Four families Of nomesteaders reported
| burned TO death on Latour creek, koote-
! mai county, Idaho, escaped to St. Joe,
| walking Il miles along the banks Of the
creek with fire burning down TO the wa
tiers edge, forcing the refugees frequently
| 10 subnerse themselves when the flames
| reached their faces. An old man in the
party was borne on a stretcher all the
| way Their clothes were nearly burned
| off
While YyA forest rangers are missing in
| Idaho and Montana. II is probable that
most of them viii escape death
The telephone lines through the ma
| tional forests have been destroyed or in
| terrupted. and the rangers may be safe
although unable TO report.
Spokane. Wash. Aug e3-Supervisor
Weigle tonight said that he took the
gloorniest view of the situation regard
ing the 300 rangers missing in the 81.
| Joe River country. 81 miles east Of Wal
| lace. Ranger kootkey is d graduate Of
the Yale Forestry school
The place in which they were working
| when last heard from is now saething
area Of flame
Steve Z. Marquette of Independence,
| Iowa. was a member of Ranger Bells
party Of 3 men that was hemmed in by
flames at Beauchamp's ranch on the Big
Fork Of Occur D'Alene river. 10 miles
from Wallace arrived in Wallace today
and reported that 10 of the party are
dead.
Light rain began 10 fall this afternoon
in Wallace an6 other Occur D'Alene min
ing towns that have been scorched and
| threatened by fires, and the weary fire
fighters took needed rest.
Nothing but long and heavy down
pour will quench the flames that are
| burning the big trees but shower NAV
| help stay the flames.
| Idaho militia and United States troops
are on the way to fight the fires. but the
| soldiers can accomplish little more than
| to protect the threatened towns
The most startling rurnors of loss Of
life pour in but it is impossible to veri-
fy them. Ii seems probable that. aside
from loss among the National Rangers
the number Of dead in the three states
will not exceed 100 when the smoke shall
| have cleared away
| in Spokane contains nearly "a names
| Other deaths have not been verified
Spokane, Wash, Aug. 2S-That Elk
| City il still on the map and out of
reach Of the forest fires ravaging the
surrounding country which is ablaze
! for miles. is due solely TO the heroism
| of the women Of the town who. while
he Tpp la frb
advance Of the con1agration. guarded
| their homes and the business houses
extlngujshing a number of incipient
| blazes started by brands carried from
| the burning forests.
The town is out Of danger, but the
conditions in the surrounding re-
gions are growing worse The wind has
again risen TO a gale and the adjacent
mountains are mass of flames
The entire Iron Mountain is again
ablaze, the fire on Squaw Lake burn
ing with renewed fury The American
liver district is a gigantic furnace for
miles. A number Of outlying settle
ments from which the inha bitants have
fed. are doomed and il is reported that
the plant Of the American Eagle mine
one of the largest in the district. is
burning
Conditions are epitomiZed in brief
| message from Forest Ranger Porter
70 Assistant Ranger Brown al Grange
Vile II SAYS Situation desperate.
Whole country ablaze Must have help
to save property.
The fire in the Clearwater reserve
according to advices received last
night by Major Fem. is absolutely be-
yond control and all hopes OF subdu-
ing the flames until il rains have been
abandoned.
The pack train reported surrounded
Sunday night. reached a place Of safe
ty on Rocky Ridge yesterday, but are
unable 10 reach the rangers camp. for
which they were headed.
The fire on Old Man Creek and the
one on Se1way, near Camp 81 have
united and no further efforts will be
made 10 control them.
The fire situation in western Mon
tana and Idaho cleared considera bly,
last night and is more hopeful than
fer three DAYS
Muilan has been saved, Saltese has
been preserved and Henderson threat
ened last night and this morning is in
a fair way to be saved. There are 300
men back firing at St Regis and il is
believed their efforts Will result in
turning the fire around the town.
To offset this. there are the smoking
ruins If Deborgia, Eaughan. Brrson.
Taft and slight fire damage 10 one cor
ner Of Saltese.
The Cnicago. Milwaukee & Puget
Sound Railroad has suffered the loss of
"a Of its .s bridges ruined and the FIVE
that are not destroyed are damaged.
Nine lives have been lost in the hills
above Saltase and al least six Others
N fire on Cedar Creek that came
over the Idaho divide at the head of
Oregon t'ulci..
At Iron Mountain there IS no dam
ger and with the fires well in hand at.
ST. Regia. IL seems that the crisis is
D. sse0.
The IRE at CaInas Prairie was check
ed last night and the farms in the val
'ey ara safe IN the timber above the
valley, the situation is Al present en-