The Spokesman-Review   August 27, 1910  Page1

HALM PARTY OF FIFTEEN

REPORTED SAFE
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Nearly One Hundred More Missing
Among Stupendous Blazes
in the Forests.
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SITUATION NOW IMPROVING
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Flames, Though Still Spreading in Some Localities,
Are Gradually Being Gotten
Under Control.
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Revised List of Forest Fires’ Known Fatalities.

U. S. forestry employees (official figures) . . . . . . . . . .. . .104
Settlers and loggers, St. Joe valley, Idaho (estimated)  . .  . 50
On Big Fork, near Wallace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . 13
At Bullion mine, Montana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
At Wallace, Idaho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . 4
Newport, Wash.; Mullan, Idaho, and Spokane . . . . . . . . . . . .  6  
                                                                                                  185 Missing.

Three camps in Clearwater country . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . 25
Ranger Louis Fitting and party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Ranger Thenon and party . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 34
Setser creek rangers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . .   5
                                                                                                  98

    Ranger Joe Halm and party of 15 are reported safe by Ranger Haines.
    One tract burned in Lolo country means loss of $1,450,000; another in Big creek country represents $1,400,000 loss.
    Many of the fires in the Clearwater country now under control.
    Conditions in the Salmon river district improving.

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    The forest supervisor’s office at Wallace, Idaho, last night declined to give out a statement of the number of its fire fighters known to be dead, saying its books were in confusion. The Missoula district office stated that 86 men were known to be dead. The Missoula office placed Ranger Hollingshead’s 23 men in the list of missing, whereas 18 of the men are dead and buried, hence the official list of dead foresters is 104.
    Reports continue to come from the St. Joe valley of the death of a large number of settlers, loggers and railroad employes. The timber on four tracts burned over was valued by experts at $4,000,000, indicating that the total timber loss will be larger than any figures yet printed.

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SAFETY OF HALM ANNOUNCED
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Ranger Haines, Heading Rescue Party,
Sends Good News.

    MISSOULA, Mont., Aug. 26. – District Forester W. B. Greeley received a dispatch at 11 o’clock tonight announcing the safety of the missing party of 15 under Ranger Joseph B. Halm. The message was dated Iron Mountain, Mont. and came from Ranger Haines, who left Tuesday for the headwaters of the St. Joe river in search of the Halm party.
    The Halm party is made up of the following: Ranger Joseph B. Halm, William Rogers, Joseph Barnes, John Miller, James Bates, Lewis Walheim, Oscar Hendrickson, A. Sundstrom, T. J. Carlson, John Berlinsk, James Whalen, Fred Uts, Charles Cronin, William Kidd, J. C. Little and Frederick Mills.
    In addition to the good news concerning the Halm party District Forester Greeley received further reports reducing the list of dead and missing employes of the forest service. District Forester Greeley said tonight that the condition in the different districts where the fight against the flames has been resumed is very favorable and the flames are gradually being controlled.

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