The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-07-13
Forest Fire Sweeps Over POrcu-
pine Mining District.
MANYARE SUFFOCATED
Frantic Miners Sought Safety
Underneath the Ground.
Streets Of South POrcupine
Strewn With the Dead.


today to roll through the camps,
woods and brush of the Porcupine
mining district of this province and
the regions to the north.
Unverihed reports continue to swell
the number of fatalities. Some esti-
mates are as high as 500 dead. The
financial losses represent a huge sum.
Only with the return of relief expedi-
tiOns and the establishment of rail-
road telegraph service viii the full eX-
tent of the continuing disaster be ac-
curately known. More details of death
and suffering with those also of nu-
merOus miraculous escapes were learn
ed today as refugees reached points OF
safety where communication had not
been destroyed. Many have died IN
isolation; miners huddled in shafts
have persisted; fires have overwhelmed
whole families and only charred re-
mains are left behind. Men. women
and children and domestic and wild
animals, standing together for hours
in swamps. While the flames ragged over
the countryside. have in some cases
sunk at last to death. partly suffocated
and then drowned. Others have
weathered the fiery storm, standing IN
streams and putting out into the lakes
in boats and canoes
Superintendent Black Ct Temiskan-
ing & Northern Ontario railway at
North Bay states that the fires in the
POrcupine district are now under con-
troll Ad Miles, construction engineer
for the Great Dome mine, estimates
the total loss of life at 200
Many Mines Burned.
Toronto, ont, July 13.-The loss of
life in the Porcupine district from
Tuesdays fires is known to be several
hundred, and the property loss will
reach several millions of dollars. Only
three Of the eighty-fOur employees of
the West Dome mine have been ac-
counted for, and 200 miners, muckers,
etc, in the Dome mine have been su9-
located. The mines burned include the
Dome, North Dome, Preston, East
Dome. Vip0nd Foley O'Brien. Phila-
delphia. United Porcupine, Eldorado
Porcupine, Standard Imperial. West
Dome and Success.
Among the dead are Robert Weiss,
manager of the West Dome, his wife
and child. The Philadelphia mine S
loss is about $4,000: United Poreu-
pines loss 100000; Eldorado Porcu-
nine all buildings destroyed; Stand
ard. about $4,000; Imperial, about
$4,000; Success, probably destroyed;
West mines about $4,000.
In four short hours, commencing at
noon, the fire swept from the Standard
mines through to the shores of PorclI-
Dine lake, where it destroyed South
Porcupine. Pottsville and part Of
Golden City, as well as many small
buildings along the lake front While
some loss OF lie occurred III the NlClil-
ity of Porcupine lake, the greatest
havoc was wrought around the main
mines. notably West Dome and Big
Dome.
There the entrapped miners. cut off
from escape. were forced to take to
the shafts for safety, and, penned in
bv flames. perished. This was notably
true at Dome and West Dome mines.
At Preston East Dome. an untimbered
shaft gave shelter and none perished.
The streets of South Porcupine are
strewn with dead persons horses, dogs
and cattle. Along the mine roads are
the charred bodies of those overcome
trying to escape.
of the staff of 500 at the Dome but
few were saved and at the West
Dome but three out OF eighty-four en-
ployes are known to be alive. Along
the highway between East Dome and
South Porcupine over a comparatively
open section, were found six charred
bodies.
Fire Extended % Miles.
shortly after noon the fire had COW
cred an area of 25 miles in length and
two miles in width and was licking
up the base line of Tisdale, sweeping
over the standard and Imperial mines
at Delore, the Philadelphia, in Shaw,
Eldorado and United mines III South
ern Whitney.
When the seriousness of the situa-
ton was apparent. the fire call was
sounded with the Dome mine whistle.
Miners and women and children sour
ried about in the dense smoke, packing
valuables and light baggage. In half
an hour the flames were raging on the
spot They swept over the Foley
O'Brien mine, then jumped to the
Preston East Dome and followed over
the Dome, West Dome and North
Dome
Hundreds fed before the flames, 5ut
the dense clouds of black smoke hung
very low over the land and made prog
ress difficult. Many fell exhausted be-
fore the raging fire. as it swept over
South Porcupine. The frame build
ings burned fiercely.
Twenty minutes after the flames
struck the outskirts, the town was in
ashes All who escaped the flames
made for the water. where all sorts of
water craft-launches, canoes, scows
and skiffs-were pressed into service.
Women and children were first hur-
ried into the small boats and started
off for Pottsville and Golden City,
where they were temporarily safe from
the flames. Many miners lost their
lives in efforts to save others and some
We're drowned.
Panic and chaos prevailed when the
flight by water from South POrcupine
began. Men fought with one another
for places in the boats for their fami-
lies. Police OFFICER Murray. with Jack
Gardiner. had to stand off the panic
stricken foreigners who rushed for
edcn BOAT as II came m NaeH were
hurled into the water and many rushed
in as the only place of safety.
Woman Refuses to Leave.
Thirty launches and as many canoes
soon had the women landed safe on the
other side of the lake. There was one
exception. Mrs. William Gohr, with
her baby in her arms, refused to leave
until she had news Of her husband
Gchr had gone back to save some val