Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-07-18
Settlement Partly Burned, in
1910 in Danger Of Being De-
stroyed by Niger Hill Fire,
, Which Has Leaped Divide.
1000 FIGHT FLAMES 4
IN NORTHERN IDAHO
Lack Of Fire Fighters Hampers
Federal Forest Service Off
ciaIs and Timber Associations
in Checking the Flames.

&
western Montana towns, Alberton
and St. Regis, are threatened with
destruction by forest fires whiciHa
have famed beyond control and asess
reported to be menacing the towns
on all sides, according to forest
service officials here.
Alberton, a division point on the
Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul
railroad, 81 miles west of Misooula.
is endangered by the Niger Hill
forest fire which has come over the
crest of Niger Hill gu1ch and is
said to be about three miles from
the town.
A telephone message from St.
Regis, west of Missoula on the
Occur d'Alene branch of the North
ern Pacific said sthe town was sur
rounded by fires and N danger of
destruction. . IN
The rattlesnake creek fireNin the
Missoula forest. north of Missoula,
famed by high wind, is sweeping
northward over six mile front into
Twin Creeks and Blackfoot country,
Crews have had narrow escapes in
fighting this blaze.
Ranchers Burned Out.
Spokane, WASH, July 17.-Ranch-
es are reported burned out at
Bronx, north of Sand Point, Idaho,
where fire covering 1900 acres
was being fought by ranchers. On
Steamboat creek, northwest of Car
ter, Idaho, 400,0O0,0O0 feet of white
pine timber, estimated to be worth
81 100000, was menaced by a fire
that had burned over 100 acres, and
Oil the North Fork river north of
Kellogg, Idaho, fire was reported
running through one of the best
stands of white pine timber in this
section. On Indian Creek OH the
divide, near Heron, Mont, a fire
had burned over between 1000 and
5000 acres.
Timber Menaced.
One of the largest fires in the dis
trict was burning on Pack River,
near Samuels, Idaho. This blaze. /
covering approximately 6,400 acres,
had been burning in slashings and
had caused little damage, but fear
was expressed that the crew of l20
men would not be able to restrain
| II from damaging much timber
nearby;
Lack of fire fighters is hampet-
ing federal forest service officials
and timber protective associations
lin their efforts to check the flames.
More than 1000 mer were said to
be fighting the II largest blazes in
northern Idaho, and many other
crews of Kanchers, miners and gov
ernrnent and lumber company fight
ers' were contesting the spread OF
other fires.
Parties Sent Out.
Boise, Ida, July H.-From Boise,
from Cascade, from Haley and from
Salmon City parties of fire fighters
were sent out Thursday to help
check the wind-driven walls of flame
which have already destroyed more
than $4,000 acres of valuable, timber
in southern Idaho. and which men
;ss,s1nsut: ace farms towns live stock and min
The fires are spreading rapidly in
four districts. The north end of the
Yellow pine district fire seems to be
checked, but the conflagration is
spreading rapidly southwark over a
l5-mile front and in places has
gained 10 miles. Other fires are rag
ing on Pistol, Sulphur ami Indian.
Creeks, and near the settlement OF
Yellow Jacket another fire has
started. The flames have eaten their
way into the Weiser and Idaho Ma
tional forests and the Hazard Greek
fire, which>was thought to have been.
cxtinguished, has started un again.
| State and federal authorities and
the timber owners are cooperating.
The Idaho Wool Growers associa.
1tion has offered to the fire fighting
| agencies all of its sheep camp outfits
and supplies which ycan be spared
No rain has fallen in southern Idaho
for AZ days and hundreds of square
miles of forests are as dry as tinder.
The general land office in Boise has
issued an appeal for 100 more men
to volunteer for fire fighting at so
cents an. hour, board and transpor-
ttation.
4