Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-25
Authorities Now Bent Upon
Saving Human Life.
APPALLED, BY FATALITIES
Foresters Lose Heart and Balk at
Protecting Timber.
1876 RANGERS STILL MISSING.
142 Known Dead-Rain and Snow
Bring Relief in Many
Places.

ssfohANE. Wash. August 25-There
are lS men in the two forest ranger
parties now missing in the country nj
the headwaters OF the ST. Joe river.
Efghty-hve men are In the party head
ed by Joseph ID. Hahn. The expedition
under f. A Fern contains 100 men.
Deputy Rangers Fisher and Holcomb
have left Wallace at the head OF relief
expeditions to the ST. Joe They will try
to, penetrate the forest by way OF the
Clearwater divide. carrying medicines and
condensed rations
Two Missing Parties.
dispatch from Wallace SAYS:
Forest Supervisor weigle said there
We're no other large parties than those OF
Hahn and Fern missing In the Coeur
Alene forest. although there might be
loss OF life in isolated groups.
hahn and his men are I'm the densest
woods In the National forest. Fern and
MS crew are thirty miles from safety.
conditions on the ST. Joe are very bad
Absence OF News is discouraging, but the
leaders are skillful and experienced and
hope has not been abandoned"
The mystery OF the bodies that are
being found in the St Joe valley. Idaho.
probably will be cleared up toda v
when the Chicago. Milwaukee and
Puget Sound runs its first passenger
train to Avery.
One hundred and six men. living in
the 81. Joe valley. are missing. Twen-
ty-two bodies. supposed TO be OF set
tiers. were found yesterday.
several days ago twenty bodies were
discovered scattered over an area of
over mile. 1t was assumed they wer3
forest employees. Supervisor weigle in
Guiding them in his list Of dead en-
ployes. Last night, however. he de.
ciared they were not rangers.
Toll Of the Dead.
Add the number OF dead rangers,
seventy-four: the forty-four bodies
found near Avery. the ten japanese
who perished near Avery and the vari-
GUS known dead in Washington, Idaho
and Montana. and the total is l42 This
rangers imprisoned on the headwater,
| or the ST. Joe.
The appalling loss OF life among the
/ forest employees has taken the heart out
of the surviving foresters. An order hes
been issued not 10 risk life to save tim
1 ber.
The little fires are being extinguished.
| The great fires. to fight which might re-
| suit in more loss OF life. will he allowed
to burn themselves out. or until the rains
| extinguish them.
In the Occur d'Aiene mining country.
| the fires have exhausted their fuel, as
also they have done in the Pend d'Reille
\ valley. In the Clearwater country and in
the thickest timber OF the Coeur d Aiene
national forest. however the flames are
/ hungry and active as ever.
Most Expensive Forest Fire.
| No lumberman or forester will give an
| estimate OF the timber losses. Even after
the fires are out IL will be difficult to
reckon the cost. 1t is believed. however.
| that the present fires are the most expen-
sive the United States has ever known.
An expert railroad builder estimates the
| loss Of the Chicago, Milwaukee & Puget
| Sound railroad at $2.J0O.0O0. The Spokane
chamber of commerce has begun the
| raising OF q large relief fund.
| There are $50 men surrounded I'm the
mountains between Lolo Pass and St.
Mary's. Maj. Fem has sent three guides
| to pilot them out
| Conditions in the Clearwater reserve are
hopeless. Maj. Fem has received In
structions from the forestry headquarters
| at Missoula TO recall all firefighters from
the interior OF the stricken region and set
zone.
The message said:
Save the lives Of the men and let the
timber CO.
Big Fire in California.
| CHICO. Cal. August 25-A forest fire.
which has been raging for the last two
weeks twenty miles east OF this place.
has passed beyond the control of the
forest rangers and the volunteer fighting
1 crew endeavoring to check It,
| The flames leaped across the road yes
terday. The mail stage was unable 70 get
4 through.
Crisis Relieved to Be Passed