Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-07-14
Terror Stricken, SCOrChed and
Bleeding, Survivors Tell
Almost Incredible Tales of
Suffering and Death.
NOW ESTIMATED THAT
FIVE HUNDRED PERlSHED
Thousand Square Miles of Ter
rltory Burned Over and
Weeks Must EIapse Before
Extent OF Horror Is Known.
TBy Morning Journal Special Leased Wlre,1

rBy Morning Journal Special Leased wire.1
Toronto July 13.-Reports tonight
from northern ontario are that the
forest fires which for several days
have swept over q gsction OF country
extending 800 miles northward from
North Bay and covering a wide Sec
uon east and west either have been
eXtinguished or are under control.
No further extensive damage or loss
of life Is expected. The towns of
Coehrane, South Porcuplne and Potts
vile have been ohliterated The fire
swept clean the townships OF Lang
muir Eldorado, Shaw, Deloro, ogden,
Macarthur and Cripple Creek districts
The known dead total 1872, the ma
iority of whom lost their lives at
South Porcupine. There are believed
to have been many other fatalities
and estimates based upon unverifled
reports run as high as 400.
A relief train left North Bay this
afternoon for poroupine with sup
plies. Plenty of funds have been sub
seribed in this city for Immediate
help
Refugees from the burned area say
that II covers 10000 square miles,
comprising district inhabited by 20-
000 people, From every quarter have
come fugitiyes who escaped the
flames. many OF them badly burned
in their efforts to save yaIuables in
their flight.
II Is evident that II will be some
days and perhaps weeks before any
accurate idea of the total number OF
dead Is available. Many OF the ter
ror-striclten fled into the Interior OF
woodlands. They have not been heard
from since. Others who possibly sur
Vived the fire are believed to have
died from exhaustion. The supplies
going forward can not possibly be got
ten to the sufferers across the charr-
ed areas.
Some of the survivors are coming in
with their clothing torn and their
flesh cut and bruised from their mad
rush. Some told of stumbling over
bodies of those who had run before
them and died on the way
Searching parties have a difficult
task before them. Hundreds have
volunteered TO aid IN the search but
there Is no semblanee OF relief organ
ization as vet.
Seventeen refugees reached Toron-
to. ont. they told graphic stories Of
scenes In the earlier stages Of the fire
at South Porcupine and Pottsville. AT
the south end of purcupine township
when the conflagration first brought
almost wholesale death 70 various
settlements the wind has obliterated
mine sites roads and trails with the
ashes.
More than one hundred probably
pershed in this region. The number
drowned in porcupine lake is about
forty. Some bodies were found in
shallow water, showing that exhaus-
ton had overcome the victims as
they reached the water.
The first trainload of dead and In
jured reached Cobalt today. Reports
are that twenty perished on the trail
to Mattagami and five near Red
Stone river
The Mail and Empires special cor
respondent at Poreupine wires tonight
from Cobalt As follows
"The horrors of porcuplnes great
disaster, which is even worse than
the San Francisco earthquake when
the comparative sizes of the places
are considered, increases hourly.
The cry for bread is now heard.
Hunger. the usual follower of such
terrible incidents. is the one thing that
those not otherwise injured have 20
fight against, and bread and provis-
ions are being rushed In as fast as
possible. With the exception of what
was left in the few stores of Golden
CITY there remained nothing to eat
AZ the beginning II was believed
that the greatest loss of life occur
red at the mines and In the brush
where many persons must have per-
lshed. but now the towns may reveal
the greatest number Of dead, and 500
as total is a conservative estimate
of those who lost their lives. As far
as Us known there was no loss Of lifc
az pettsgille and at first II was
thought that South Poreupine's loss
numbered but four, but since then five
bodies have been found in the rear Of
where the Empire theater stood, maxi
ing II apparent that they were en-
leavoring 10 make their escape TO tho
a orth Of the zone Of flames.
Along the shaw-Deloro line on th4
rail lie eight bodies and on thd tQu{I
,idle OF Poreupine lake are threA MQx
% add 10 the six on the Train t4eW4@@ !.
.ha Dome mine and 1Qut6 cTcur[ n
..Ccffins are being Multi 0
rough lumber and siEer1 n ~ m
lea have been shipped "a 81 z y #
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