Four Sections Burn Along the Pend Oreille

The big fire that started a week ago in the vicinity of Ruby Creek was finally checked Monday afternoon, the force of men who had been engaged in fighting the flames having been pulled off as it is considered that all danger is past.

The fire burned over about four sections of land, part of which was in pole slashing and some in good timber. The fire started in Sec. 14, Twp. 35-43, from a clearing fire and spread from there to the river, also west and south. It burned over all of Section 14 and parts of 11, 15, 22, 23 and 24. It crossed the river in Section 11 at the Hanson place, just south of Blueslide, but was confined to the bottom land in Sections 11 and 12. Forest Supervisor Millar had a force of men working on the east side to prevent the fire from crossing the first range of mountains into the National Forest.

All of the ranchers in the path of the fire suffered a considerable loss in buildings and timber. Sam Hanson was perhaps the heaviest loser, his buildings, valued at $1,500, and all of his timber being destroyed. Gus Johnson and two Rouses also lost their timber and one of the Rouses lost his cabin. The Rouse mill was saved after hard work.

Stevens County is a loser by the burning of a new county bridge across Hanson Creek and the school house in Section 11 also burned. Matt Berg's place was in the path of the flames across the river, and he lost a part of his buildings, a quantity of hay and his timber.

The Panhandle Lumber Co. and the Consolidated Lumber Co., of Elk, had a force of men fighting the fire under charge of Jack McInnis. The Fidelity Lumber Co. also had men assisting the forest supervisor on the east side of the river.

The buildings at the new townsite of Blueslide had a narrow escape on Friday, a lucky shift of the wind saving the town.

While fighting fire in the neighborhood of Granite Creek on the Kaniksu National Forest, Bert Harris was badly crushed by the falling of a burning tree. He was carried on a litter by his comrades for ten miles over a rough country to the lake and thence taken to Newport by team and to the Spirit Lake hospital. He is now recovering from his injuries.

The rangers of the Kaniksu National Forest have been kept exceedingly busy the past few weeks fighting fires. A number of small fires have been sighted by rangers on the lookout stations, but prompt action has kept down the losses. The big fire is near the Washington line at the head of Granite Creek and has been running in a northeasterly direction toward Priest Lake. It has burned over a strip about ten miles long, but fortunately at least 80 per cent of the territory covered had been previously burned over. About 75 men have been employed in fighting this fire, and it has been a difficult proposition to keep the camp supplied, as it is necessary to bring supplies by team 25 miles to Priest Lake, thence by steamer 15 miles and then by pack over the mountains a distance of 12 miles.

A number of small forest fires have been burning along the Great Northern right-of-way between Sandpoint and Newport. None of them caused any serious damage, except the burning of a bridge for the Great Northern and the destruction of a part of the new pole line of the Northern Idaho Montana Power Co.