The Oskaloosa herald., 1910-08-25
FEARS FOR 600 men
IN FOREsT0F|RES
Large Number Are Reported Lost
In Montana.
400 MAY BE DEAD IN IDAHO
Elk City Saved BY Heroic Women.
Rain Falls In Fisthead Country
MANY Towns etIll En-
III dangered.

| I'll danQerod.
Missoula, Mont, Aug. 24--Special:
The apprehension expressed by Sup sr
visor Weigel at Ellenburg yesterday
over the loss OF 800 rangers was in.
creased today when a report came
from Thompson Falls, Montana, that
600 forest rangers fighting the flames
in that vicinity have not been account.
ed for. The alarm had hardly abated
when H. +. Kottkey, ranger in charge
of 300 men, reported lost by Weigel
yesterday, staggered into Missoula
last night with few of his men and
reported that he did not know what
had become of the rest. When he
last saw them, said Kottkey, they
were in the burning district near
Avery seeking means of escape. News
of the disappearance of the GOO men
was brought here by Forester Barney,
who reported that the 600 men four
days ago were sent to the cabinet re-
serve to fight the flames. Aside from
the many reported disasters to forest
rangers the forest officials at Nilsson
la declare at conservative estimate
about rs men, women and children
have persisted and that the loss of
timber alone will not be less than
ten million dollars. He said they
could not estimate the damage to pro-
perty. The calling out of the entire
state militia of Idaho and part Of Ore
gon and Montana is believed to be a
step in the right direction.
President Taft has telegraphed the
executives of the three states, COM
mending their action and has promise
to rush all available u. S. troops into
the fire district.
The fire near Thompson Falls is
now the most serious in Montana.
The 700 inhabitants of this place are
ready to flee and Barney fears that
Thompson and several nearby towns
VIII be consumed.
Butte, Mont. Aug. Ask hundred
fire fighters who left Thompson Falls
four days ago are reported lost, and
Forest Superintendent Bushnell of
the cabinet reserve, who is at Thomp-
son, fears all may have persisted. The
wind is blowing furiously toward
Thompson and It Is feared the little
town, which is crowded with refugees,
will be swept by fire.
Spokane Fears Death Of 400.
Spokane. Wash, Aug. 24.--Nearly
the whole Panhandle of Idaho, tim
bered mountain country, Is, on fire. and
1t is possible that 400 persons have
persisted.
That Elk City, Idaho, is out Of reach
of forest fires ravaging the surround
ing country, which is ablaze for miles,
is the result solely Of the heroism Of
the women in the town who, while the
male population was fighting the ad-
vance Of the conflagration, guarded
their homes and the business houses,
extinguishing blazes started by brands
carried from the burning forests.
Many Of them stayed on roofs of
buildings. ..l
Conditions in the surrounding re-
gions are growing worse. The wind
has risen to a gale and the adjacent
mountains are seething mass of
flames. The entire Iron mountain Is
ablaze and the fire on Squaw creek is
burning with renewed fury. The
American river district Is a gigantic
furnace for miles, number of outly-
ing settlements, from which the in
habitants have fed. are certain of de-
struction and 1t is reported that the
plant OF the American Eagle mine,
one of the largest in the district, Is
burning.
Calls Situation Desperate.
Conditions are described In a brief
message from Forest Ranger Porter
to Assistant Ranger Brown at Gran
vile. 1t says:
Situation desperate. Whole coun-
try ablaze. Must have help to save
property"
According to news received by Mai.
Fem, the fire in the Clearwater re-
serve is beyond control and hope Of
subduing the flames before 1t rains,
has been abandoned. The pack train
reported surrounded Sunday night
reached a place Of safety OF Rocky
Ridge yesterday, but Is unable to
reach the rangers camp, for which It
was headed. The fire on Old Man
creek and the one ON Selway, near
camp 90. have united and no fur
Their efforts will be made to control
them.
Antoine. in Asotin county, Washing
ton. endangered by, forest fire which
started Sunday. has been saved, and
the fire on Craig mountain is partly
under control. but the situation there
still Is critical.
Wallace to Bebuild at Once.
At Wallace. Idaho. the people have
recovered largely from the shock Of
their narrow escape Saturday, A force
OF men has begun to clear the ruins Of
Occur d'Alene foundry, working Ia
ashes still hot and the eraaf{n<. w NJ