The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1921-08-05
MAkE-BELIEyF ESCAPE
FROM REAL FOREST FIRE
NEARLY COST FOUR LIVES


arrangd by the best engineering
brains in the motion picture industry.
David NJ. Hartford, Associated First
National Producer OF the remarkable
James Oliver CurwOod film produc-
ton "Nomads Of the North" was com
PEELED to stop work completely for a
period of Tn days while Lewis S.
Stone. Betty Blythe and Lon CLANCY
recovered from severe burns and
shock received Ia very real forest
fire.
Arrangements were made to pho
tograph the oonflagration from an
opposite side OF the mountain and
battery of eight cameras were connect
ed by wireless telephone TO cen
trail point occupied by Director Hart
ford and his chief camera man, Wal
ter l.. Griffin.
A special set OF telephone wires
were laid from the central point TO
position high on the side OF the
pine-covered mountain from which
at a pre-arranged signal, was 10 is
sue the party OF refugees composed
of Lewis stone Betty Blythe, Lon
CLANCY, Baby Challoner-fiye month
old film star. "Neewa' a big black
bear and Birthstone" a great Cane
dog.
As an additional precaution a tun-
mel fifteen feet deep was dug in the
mountain side to serve as a sanctu-
airy from the flames II the need
should become imperative.
Hartford gave the signal and the
torch was applied and only one or
two moments had elapsed when the
director noted with alarm that the
fire had jumped across a ravine and
while the cameras would register a
much hotter sequence on that side
of the mountain the position of the
party just over the ridge would be-
come untenable almost Immediately
Word was flashed along the wires
and the party started for the obiec-
tive point which was mountain
lake several hundred feet below.
Lewis stone carrying the baby. Bet
~ Blythe leading birthstone" and
Lon CLANCY taking care OF the big
bear "Neewa They We're not mo-
ment too soon for the flames were
now almost upon them and it be-
came evident that refuge would have
go be taken In the tunnel just the
instant it could be approached.
At this point a huge tree that
had been previously weakened for a
falling effect" caught fire from fall
ing sparks and a small charge OF
dynamite secretei i'm the trunk ev-
ploded crashing the tree to the
ground in a shower OF sparks and
almost completely blocking the en-
trance 10 the tunnel
Stone Invested himself of his coat
which he threw over the baby and
fought his way through the blazing
branches TO tha safety Of the hole in
the mountain side where he deposit
ed the infant
Lon CLANCY had thrown his coat
over Miss Blythe's head. and. in the
OF smoke. was blindly lead
ing her directly away from the en-
trance when stone succeeded in at
tracing his attention and assisted in
getting them to the safety Of the
tunnel
"Neewa" and Birthstone" came
limpins into the enclosure and at
once settled down to licking the heat
from their gigantic paws .,
The fire ragged over this particular
portion of the mountain as IL moth
ing had happened but not a camera
crank was turned the scene that had
taken several weeks to prepare had
been ruined and would have to be /
completely retaken in practically ey-
cry detail
The refugees crouched in their re- |
treat and listened to the hungry roar
Of the flames and the deep booming
Of falling trees intermingled, at .
times with the roars OF "Neewa," who
had had all te fuzz burned from his
stomach. Mr.. stones Royal North .
West uniform will not be worn again .
in any picture. Lon Chaney's eye /
brows and most OF his hair have .
grown out since this incident. Miss |
Blythe suffered considerably from .
shock. but Baby Challoner--5 month |
old screen star-iust looked up at |
her rescuers and smiled and and CUR
gIad She had Dositiyely enioved il. |