Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-17
zoo TRAPPED IN OREGON.
Forest Fire Ruins $4,000 Acres Since
Sunday.

Forest Fire Ruins $4,000 Acres Since
Sunday.
PORTLAND, Greg, September II CH.
An army Of weary, sleepless men were
stationed along far-nung fronts IN the
foothills of the Cascades today watch
ing the progress of a forest fire that
in its cratic progress since Sunday had
blackened $4,000 timbered acres, de-
stroyed six houses, hotel, schooi,
logging camp, two temporary forestry
camps, trapped 200 fighters and sent
one workman to a hospital violently
insane.
The fire swept down from the Mount
Hood National Forest Sunday night ana
early yesterday a stiff southeast WIND
sent it roaring down the Clackamas
River Valley toward Estacada, Greg,
town OF 1000 population. Before every
available man, including an evangelist,
| a merchant and q blacksmith, could
check its advance, the fire had licked
| a l6-nile pathway through the for
est to within five miles OF the city
| limits.
200 Men in Area.
Somewhere to the east OF the fire
line in what apparently had been
raging inferno Sunday night when q
! strong wind whipped it into fury. the
| 200 fire fighters, headed by T. II. Sher-
rard. supervisor of the Mount Hood
National Forest, were either fighting
new blazes or beating their way back
| to civilization.
Forest trails were blocked by fallen,
sn1oldering trees. Roads which pene-
trated this district were strewn with
ashes an inch deep in places and by
great trees which went down under the
| fury, of the flames.
Special couriers, sent out from the
\ Pacific Northwest district fire ONCE
] here secured the territory In search OF
| the party Ofnciais said they believed
the men were safe; that all were ex-
perienced forest men, although they
indicated some uneassness by repeated
| inquiries for them.
Terrific heat from the wind-fanned
flames which threatened Estacada yes
terday sent Roy Vans of EStacada, o
fire fighter, to a hospital here rav1ng
| in what physicians said was q ut OF
temporary insanity.
Logging Camp Burned.
In a space of one hour the logging
camp of the La Dee Logging Co. burned,
| leaving IS men, women and children
| stranded. BY twos and threes they
| fought their way through tangled un-
derbrush to the safety Of Estacada.
| Two temporary forestry camps. estab-
| lished as bases for fire fighters, were
consumed. Dozens OF axes, hand pumps
| and buckets melted. The same blaze
destroyed the $4,000 Log La Barre
| Hotel, one-time prominent Cascade
| Summer resort.
Although Estacada residents feared
the town might be wiped out. only .
| few left the city with their belong
ings for Portland and other Northern
| sections. However, in the rural dis
tricts settlers hurriedly packed their
household effects into trucks or set
| them in yards in anticipation Of fleeing
before the flames. Some abandoned
their homes and went to Estacada.
| Others remained to fight the flames
only to see their homes reduced to
! ashes.
| Children Aid Fight.
Children perched themselves atop
| their homes with water buckets to
| watch advancing flames, or recovered
| their school books from desks hur-
| riedly removed from the burning school
/ building. Live stock was herded into
corrals preparatory to a swift run to
Portland Red Cross officials last
night were in Estacada surveying the
damage and rounding up settlers made
| homeless.
Officials said that If q wind did not
come up the situation probably would
be controlled before nightfall.
Try to Save Village.
Firehghters were working valiantly
in an effort to save the village of
Yacolt, Wash, from destruction. About
half the population of 200 vacated their
homes there yesterday when the flames
reached to within 500 yards of the
town. An appeal for the help Of United
States troops at Vancouver Barracks,
Wash, was sent out when the fire was
believed beyond the control OF local
fighters.
A wind that had been driving the
Yacolt fire died down yesterday, en-
couraging few residents to return to
| their homes. When the danger was at
its height a steady stream Of auto
mobiles laden with household effects
poured into the highways leading from
the village.
Philip Rowe, q rancher, was burned
to death when the Bell Mountain fire,
80 miles northeast Of Vancouver, Wash,
enveloped and destroyed his home.
Mrs. Rowe and son escaped with in
1uries.