Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-07-13
SLIGHT HEED WAS PAID TO
WARNING SMOKE AT FIRST
Miners Forced to Take to the Shafts for Safety
Where They Were Penned in by Flames
and Suffocated- Charred Bodies Lie in
the Streets and Roads.

Toronto. ont. July 12.-The loss Of life
In Porcupine district from yesterday $
fires is known to he several hundred
and the property loss will reach several
millions of dollars. Only three Of the 81
employees of West Dome mine have been
accounted for and 20 miners mucIers.
etc, in the Dome mine have been suf-
focated The mines burned incrude the
Dome, the North Dome, tne preston
Fast Dome. the Vipond, the Foley
. Brien, the Philadelphia. the United
Porcuplne, the Elderado Porcupine. the
Standard Imperial West Dome and Sue
cess.
Among the dead are Robert Weiss
manager of the West Dome. and his
wife and child The Philadelphia mines
loss is about $4,000; United Porcupine
mines. $4,000; Eldorado Porcupine. all
buildings destroyed: Standard about $i0,-
0oo; Imperial, about $4,000, Success
probably destroyed; West Dome mines
about $4,000. The above gives but II
vague idea of the loss of life as we'll as
property in Porcupne amp which will
probably total millions of dollars and
hundreds Of lives. In four short hours
commencing at 80 noon yesterday the
fire flend wiped from the Standard
mines right through TO the shores of
Forcupine lake where it ate up the town
sites of South Porcupine. Pottsvile and
part of Golden city as we'll as many
small buildings along the lake front
MINERS TRAPPED IN SHAFTS.
While part of the loss of life oc-
Cured in the vicinity of Porcupine
around the main mines, notably West
Dome and Big Dome. Here the en-
trapped miners, cut off from escape
by flames, were forced to take TO the
shafts for safety, and penned in by
fiames, persisted. 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 charrod bodies of those overcome
trying to escape.
OF the STAFF of 900 Mt the Dome but
few were saved and at the West
Dome but three out of ST cmployes
are known to be alive Along the
highway between West Dome and
South Porcupinc, over comparatively
open section were found six charred
bodies. In the ruins of the town of
South Porcupine We're found the bodies
of William Gohr and his clerk. Mac
Smith, Captain George Runbar and
Tom Geddes.
Early yesterday morning the min
ers saw dense clouds of smoke to the
southwest. whore the fires were rag
ing. They gave small heed. Later In
the day there was a small blaze start
ed In Lake View of the Porcupine
townsite but it passed almost un-
noticed because Of the frequency Of
bush fires in the last few weeks OF the
dry spell.
FIRST REAL ALARM FELT.
1t was not until noon that the dense
clouds began to roll over the Porcupine
district and screen the sun a dun red
Ihon the miners became alarmed and the
camps took on unusual activity. Messen-
gers We're sent out and soon returned with
warning that tho fire was travelling
through the forests at a rapid pace and
WAS licking up many townships.
Shortly after noon the fire had covered
an area Of y miles In length and two
miles in width and was licking IN tha
base line Of Tsdale sweeping over the
Standard and Imperial mines at Delore
the Philadelphia Inshaw, Eldorado and
United mines in southern Whitney.
Al one O'Clock the seriousness OF the sit
uauon was apparent at South Porcupine
when to the southwark could be seen
the sweeping wall Of flame The fire call
sounded hn
and was followed by repeated blasts from
iose OF other mines Miners and women
ana children began to scurry about in tho
oehSe smoke, packing valuabes and light
baggage, In another half hour the namea
had swept parcels Of land lust vacated Nv
the miners They swept over the Folov
O'Brien mine, then jumped to the Preston
East Dome and followed over the Dome
west Dome ana North Dome, also licking
ur what remained of the Dome extension
after Sundays fire.
MANY ESCAPE BY WATER
Hundreds fed before the flames
which were eating up the ghacks in
tho outlying section Of South Porcu-
pine. The dense clouds Of black smoke
hung very low over the land and made
flights dificult. Many perishcd from
exhaustion and lay PROSTATE before
the raging fire as 1t swept over the
town The frame buildings In the heart
OF the town burned with crack ing
sound that brought terror to the hearts
OF the fleeing people.
Twenty minutes after the flames
struck the outskirts Of South Porcu-
pine tho town was In ashes, so quick
IL aid the fire sweep on to the north.
All Of those who escaped the flames
made for the water where all sorts OF