Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-27
Summer CARRIED Soldiers Work
in Freezing Temperature.
SNOW AND RAIN FALLING
CONGREGATIONS Checked, Reported
Forest Service Men-Death OF
Twelve Men.

WOTn III the T1iuldty
which they were suddenly withdrawn,
much suffering from the cold was today
reported to the War Department from the
troops fighting forest fires in the north
ern Rockies.
Capt. Frazier OF the 14th Infantry, In
command OF a camp about thirteen miles
north of Delton. Mont. has reported TO
his superior officers that the weather
there was cold" and his men were suffer-
ing.
Snow ana Rain Helping.
The snow and rain which had fallen.
however, had helped greatly in subduing
the fires. The need for troops was about
passed, he reported, provided the forest
ers and rangers did their duty.
Capt. Mullay. in command Of fire-fight-
ing troops near Lolo Hot Spring, Mont.
likewise reported that the fires were
checked by the rain and snow which had
fallen on the higher peaks.
Five fires are now burning on the
Yakima Indian reservation in Washing
ton, according to telegram received AT
the Indian bureau today from Supt.
Young. High winds and the dry condition
of the forests make the situation danger
Gus.
Supt Young wants troops sent TO the
scene at once He has been able to en-
list only thirteen fighters. Laborers hav-
ing horses are scarce.
Fire conditions on the Flathead reser-
vation have improved considerably, ac-
cording to a telegram received from Supt.
Morgan today. He says that IL no new
rires break out the troops OF the l4tn IN
fantry now on the reservation will not be
needed. He recommends that they be re-
surned to their garrison.
Rain Is Only Hope.
Only rains can extinguish many forest
fires in the far west. which are beyond the
power oc man to. subdue, according to
Clement s. ticker, chief clerk of the In
terror Department, who has just returned
from the stricken section.
In some cases he believes the blazes have
been of incendiary ORIGIN. Ii is absurd.
he AYERS. to think that all the fires started
that way.
Lightning. ignition from railway loco
motives, blazes left by careless campers
and incendiarism are the principal causes
Of forest fires. he says. Folks outside
the mountainous districts have hardly
any idea OF. the frequency with which
tops. where the breaking of clouds
provokes severe electrical storms.
Mr.. Ucker also commented on the fact
that the men who were employed to hght
the nreS are TO great extent urdWn from
the unemployed Of the cities and paid in
the neighborhood Of 50 q day and sub
sistenee. - es..- .
He does not think it strange that many
times when fires are gotten under cons
troll an entirely new conf1agration a mile
away will flash forth and need Immediate
attention from the fire-ighting brigade.
Fire Fighters Die in Cave.
SPOK-.NE, Wash. August 27.-Walter
Hess, homeseeker. member Of fire.
fighting crew on Big creek, last night told
how a dozen Of his party were burned to
death.
Saturday afternoon thirty o. Us were
stationed about twelve miles up Big creek
under Warden Christy," he said. Below
us about two miles was another small
crew.
Together We were working TO control
a small fire. We had worked for some
days in this way, and had the fire pretty
well surrounded.
About go pm. We heard a terrible
roaring upon the ledge just south of US.
Before We realized it the fire had cut of
our escape.
1.-The thirty men at the upper end of
the fire all escaped. The poor fellows be-
low were killed.
Five OF the men were killed by falling
trees. Seven were suffocated and burned
in a small cave, where they sought pro-
lection.