Swept By Flames

FIEES IN THE WEST. Helena, M. T., Aug. 31.- Those who have never traveled over the section of this country known as the Northwest eau hare no idea oí the vast area which the prairie and timber tires have covered. Starting away up in British Coiumbia in the Koutenai country, four weeks ago, owing to the parched condition of the country (no rain of any consequence having fallen for ninety days), the flre traveled with great rapidity, passing south through Montana into Idaho, extending into Washington and Oregon on the west, than south again into Wyoming and Colorado. Montana, perhaps, has suffered the most, as the fire ran along through the prairie country to the Dakota line. crossed the main divide of the EockieS; set the Bitter Iioots aflame, worked into t,h ains near Phillips, destroyed the tiraber, and did great damafre in the National Park. But if the prairie fires are disastrous the íorest fires are doubly so. Granville Stuart, one of the best authorities in Montana, estimates the loss by these fires in Montana at $100,000 a day. Thousands of acres of vlrgin tiniber land have been denuded and thousands of cords of wood destroyed. Helena, M. T., Sept 2.- The town of Black Pine has been destroyed by fire, which caught from the burning foresta. The town of Gardner on the edge of the National Park was burned Saturday. The forests in the park are burning. Great Falls, M. T., Sept 3 -The town of Barker was almost totally destroyed by fire Sunday which started in a miners' camp and swept up the valley, burning all the eastern portion of the camp. It is supposed that a man named Ellis, his wife and four ehildren lost their lives. There are also three men missing and they were undoubtedly burned to deata. Barker is the business center of the en. tire Barker district and is about sixty-five railes southeast ot Great Falls. The mineral deposita are on both the east and west sides of the camp, the burned portion being on the east side of the ereek, where most of the business was done. The place will be at once rebuilt Port Huron, Mich., Aug. 31.- Port Huron is surrounded by forest flrcs and considerable damage has been done, with promise of still more disaatrous resulta if the arought which has lasted two months Bhould continue. The Petit farm, within the city limits, was completely burned over Thursday and the fencea and much property destroyed. A barn and contents on Lapeer avenue were burned to the ground, and the grand pavilion in Pine Groxe Park was completely destroyed. Other barns within the city limits were burned Thursday night This is the driest time in this city in many years.