New-York tribune., 1910-08-24
NEARLY ALL IDAHO
PANHANDLE AbLAZE
Deaths May Reach 400. but
Probably Will Not Much
Exceed 100.
900 RANGERS ARE MISSING
Fear Felt for 200 Under Yale
Man-Governors of Three
States Act Toward Call
ing Out Militia.
900 RANGERS ARE MISSING

cleared away. " p Weigle. United States
Forest Supervisor. has not heard from two
hundred Of his men who were in the burn
ing woods. and he fears they have been
burned To death.
Tacht rain began to fall this afternoon
IN Wallace and other Coeur d Alene mining
towns that have been scorched or threat
ened by forest fires. and the weary fire
fighters took new hope.
Nothing but q long and heavy downpour
uiH quench the flames that are eating UP
the big trees but shower may help stay
1he flames.
Idaho militia and United States troops
are on the way 10 fight the fires. but the
soldiers can accomplish little more than
70 protect the threatened towns Governor
Norris OF Montana ordered out state troops
tonight TO help fight the fires, and the Ore
sor troops have been offered TO the author
iries at Washington
Tie most startling TumoTs Of loss of life
7our in but il is impossible to verify
them. II seems probable that. aside from
losses among the national rangers, the
number Of dead in the three states viii not
exceed one hundred \ list of known dead
70 date. compiled in Spokane, contains only
Jairry-fcur names. Other deaths have not
been verified
fdie wan iSSiHS WILT ZSS-
Supervisor WeigIe said tonight that he
rook the gloomiest view OF the situation re-
Eardins the TWO hundred rangers missing
in the St Joe River country, thirty-ive
miles east OF Wallace Chief Ranger hoot-
key. in charge. Is a graduate of the Yale
Forestry School. and an expert forester.
The place III which they were working
wher last heard from is now a seethins
area Of flames The distance from Wallace
: 50 short that il is thought that Kootkey
syolld have sent word 10 his chief if he
were alive.
steve r. Marquette. Of Independence.
Iowa who was q member OF Ranger Bells
party OF tIlirty-seven men that was
heumed in by flames at Beauchamps
ranch on the Big Fork of Cosur dAlene
River. ten miles from Wallace arrived in
wallace today and reported that ten Of
the party were dead and eight in a hos
pitaI camp. four being blind and four SUI
[ering from broken legs.
TIVE. Of the uninjured men are assisting a
physician in nursing the unfortunates-
When the flames swept Up the canyon
OF the Big Fork" said Marquette, we
found ourselves surrounded by fire. We
ran back 10 the clearing at Beauchamp's
ranch. Ranger Bell ordered US TO lie down
in pool Joseph Beauchamp, Roderick
>-nes and the others who persisted sought
shelter in d cave which BeaUchamp had
dug for his vaJuables. The water in the
pool was only FIVE inches deep, and the
SHARKS and hot wind compelled US TO turn
over every few minutes 10 avoid being
roasted.
We breatled through wet garments To-
f,ac~o boxes and razors iu the pockets Of the
men cracked on account Of the heat We
lay TWO hours IN the water before the
flames blew over enough 10 allow our es-
cape"
TIE fires IN tbe Cuur d'Alene national
forest are beyond control, and timber
worth millions Of dollars Is burning. The
a-es II the Cnur dAIene Indian reserva-
-.0n are checked, as are those Of Palmous
national forest
Along the st Joe River which runs
through what Is described as the largest
BODY Of standing white pine timber in the
United States there Is q continuous fire
from Plummer TO q point in Montana
The United States is the largest loser
Nox- in importance are she losses sus-
rzin=d by the Chicago. Milwaukee & Puget
Sound Railroad. which has suffered de
s--uctiou Of bridges. buildings and timber
LANDS for forty miles.
The Hres along the Northern Pacific in
Rssteru Montana have diminished. They
were largely in timber that had been burned
over in former years The Idaho fires are
rs~r7inE virgin forest.
The Pend oreille VALLEY. heavily tim
bored. Is on fire in several places, ana
loss Of life is feared II is difficult IL get
news from that region. Dispatches state
r-at four soldiers Of Company ., 18th In
fa-r-v negroes. are missing.
-Four families % houestcaders reported
burned 70 death la Tour Creek, Koote-
TAI County, Idaho. escaped to St. Joe, wsd-
t7= fifteen miles along the bed Of the creek,
with IRE burning down 20 the waters edge,
forcing the refugees frequently TO sub
merge Themselves when the flames reached
rHoi- faces. An old man in the partv was
'g-re on a Stretcler all the way. Their
.Eothes were nearly burned of
Nine Hundred Forest Rangers Missing
While nine hundred forest rangers are
missing in Idaho and Montana. il IS prob
ahIe that most Of them VIII escape death.
Tho telephone lines through the national
forests have been destroyed or interrupted.
and the rangers NAV be safe, but unable
20 report
Forest Supervisor Fem to-day forwarded
70 the Forestry Bureau a Rissoula q re-
'rIE from AVtshdl. AldIiD- DC assert - Liidi
'hc lreS have now covered an area of more
-han fifty square miles. that high winds
prevail and there appears 20 he little
rna1ce Of bringing the flames under con-
t-0I. The 3own OF Troy is threatened.
From the Idaho si0e furious fires are re
ported coming over the divide at the head
aI Rock creek and heading toward Eight
II ne Creek This fire has front Of eigh-
cen miles and Is said 10 be extending along
Deer Creek IN the direction OF Bonner.
late report from Supervisor Koch, who
IS ~ s. Regis indicates that many Of the
Een reported TO have perished in BUford
lElch are safe a. ST Regis. and are as
s'stinS IN driving back the fires that
threaten the town
Reports were circulated to-day that in
-eudiar1es attempted 10 spread new fires
a. 81. Regis last night Unidentified per
Sons we're said TO have been detected hurl-
ing burning brands among the buildings in
the business quarter Of rhe old town. No
arrests We're reported
The Chicago, Milwaukee & Puget Sound
b. Isallroad to-day sent from Mlssoula two
work and relief trains TO the west end Of
ihe line 70 repair bridges and seek out
refugees. At Lookout, Idaho, the Northern
Pacific station was burned yesterday. The
appr9a1 1les 10 the Dorsey tunnel are gone
NJ St Regis Mont, where the situation
Is serious all day Yesterday, conditions