www.thefreepress.ca
THE FREE PRESS Thursday, December 27, 2012
5
Disastrous Fire sweeps the Elk Valley Fernie, the Coal City of the Kootenays destroyed
Five Thousand People Homeless - Flames Devastated the Entire Crow’s Nest Country. - Noble Response made by citizens of Cranbrook to Fernie’s call for relief. Over Two Thousand people clothed, fed and sheltered August 8 1908 The Prospector Cranbrook (the Free Press was one of the numerous businesses destroyed and was forced to publish from Cranbrook until they got their presses up and running again
F
ERNIE the coal town of the Nest Pass was completely destroyed by fire on Saturday last. Fernie is situated in the Elk Valley, north of Coal Creek, and came into existence when Crow’s Nest Branch of the Canadian Pacific was completed. The town was named after Mr William Fernie, who was the discoverer of, and the pioneer locator of the immense coal areas now owned by the Crow’s Nest Coal Company. Fernie has a population of about 5,000 all supported directly and indirectly by the coal mining industry of the Crow’s Nest Pass. Over 1,500 mines, the largest portion of whom resided at Fernie. On May 22nd, 1902 an explosion in the Coal Creek Mines killed over 130 miners, and plugged the city and district into mourning. Two years
later Fernie was visited by a destructive fire which destroyed the entire business portion of the City. In November 1906 the miners of the Crows Nest were on strike for several weeks which caused a serious business depression. Two years later, July 30th 1908, a “bump” occured in the no.2 mine coal creek entombing 30 miners, and two days later the most extensive calamity of all took place, the entire city, with exception of 50 buildings being destroyed by fire, and it is estimated that over 100 persons have perished by being burned to death. The history of the city shows that terrible calamity of some description has visited the city at least once every two years. For the past month forest fires have been raging in the mountains on both sides of the Elk River valley, and though considered dangerous, yet thought to be faraway from camps, mills. and city to require special attention as to the direction and progress of these fires.
On the morning of August 1st, the attention of mill men were again directed to these fires which was rapidly approaching the timber limits of Eastern B.C. Lumber Cof, at noon the hands at the mill were called out to fight the now rapidly approaching fire. Mill men from the Elk River, and Fernie Lumber Company’s were also called out, but it was too late. A brisk wind fanned the flames along at a rapid pace. The wind increasing wind soon became a tornado sending the flames into the tallest trees, scattering firebrands in every direction. The Cedar Valley Mills, together with 3,000,000 feet of dry lumber was destroyed. Then followed the mills and lumber of the Fernie and Elk River mills together with millions of feet of manufactured lumber was destroyed at these mills. Railway loss is estimated at $500,000. The Great Northern Railway Company have lost all their depots freight sheds and bridges and upwards of two hundred cars
loaded with coal and coke. The Crow’s Nest Coal Company estimate their loss at $150,000, $100,000 of which is covered by insurance. The Trites Wood Company estimate their loss at a quarter of a million, partially covered by insurance, The Free Press lose $20,000 and the Fernie Ledger $20,000 each paper carried about $10,000 insurance. The loss on manufactured lumber and milling plants will amount to over $2,000,000. There were over 1,200 hotels, business houses, churches and residence in Fernie, and there remain standing today one business house and 23 residences. A number of dwellings to the south was saved by exceedingly hard work with plenty of water. The cause of this safety is particularly attributed to the adjacent park and a growth of green trees which seemed to be part of the flames at this point, only to be reunited in the next block and then on until every other building in the city was destroyed.
Latest Account of the Fire Men surrounded by fire
August 8 1908 The Cranbrook Prospector Files
T
he Fires which destroyed Fernie were burning for ten days before the disaster. In the limits of the Eastern B.C Lumber Co. which operated what is known as the old cedar valley mill, a small fire had been smouldering since July 20. Fire and the Blazing lumber caught by the wind was carried across into the park. Here the city fire department had laid hose and met him. He was a giant. While they were sturdily striking at his feet, he reached over their heads and struck right in the Heart of the City. The Fire had also leaped the river at the bridges and the island was swept as with a broom. When the Fernie Hotel, the Central and the Waldorf took fire within five minutes of each other and small fires burst up in every direction it was seen that there was absolutely
no hope of saving the city and the saving of life became the prime consideration. To understand the fire rightly one must have been scorched by it. It may help to explain the extraordinary rapility of the fires wory and the helplessness of the people when we remember that the was a furious south west wind sweeping up the valley. The fire was split in two at the Dairy ranch and in three when a tongue fire reached across the river just above the cedar valley mill. The magnitude of the fire and the triple nature gave rise to a condition that would have baffled the best fire department in the world. Scores of whirl winds generated between the tracks of fire tore across the town site carrying blazing materials of all descriptions in their hug. Their course was most erratic and one cyclone of flame might light a dozen buildings lying in any direction from each other.
If the reader has seen a picture of a water spout, a fire spout he would have some idea of the great weapon with which the fire demon fought. There was fire on all sides and closing in on them with appalling rapidity as they huddled, men, women and children, under the shelter of the G.N. grade. By a singular chance, one of the few fortunate phases of an otherwise desperate situation, a small triangle where the people sought shelter was saved. The patients in the Pest House and the hospitals were Mayor Tuttle’s first thought and all were removed to places of safety. Nurses Laidlaw and Cornett stayed with their patients till they landed them in the hospital at Cranbrook. At Hosmer the populace was spread out along the river bank in the safest places they could find, awaiting the destruction of the town.
fight for their lives August 8 1908 The Cranbrook Prospector Files
P
robably the most heroic and dangerous fight of all was made by the bush gang of the Elk River Lumber Co. at camp 4 situated a mile east of town and entirely surrounded by heavy timber which of course was all afire. There was between 55 and 60 men and two women at camp 4, the ladies being the wife and niece of foreman G. Warren Severn, who were spending the summer at the camp, having came up from Spokane a couple of weeks ago. It was 3:20, Saturday afternoon when the fire first got dangerous and the horn was blown at 3:35 calling all the men form the woods. They immediately started to fight and tried in every possible way to save the camp but were finally driven off by the intense heat and blinding smoke. They took what they could carry and went our on a sand bar in the middle of the
river. while fire surrounded them on every side and every minute seemed to be their last. Alex Kennedy was the last man to leave camp. He having gone back to bring out four horses that broke away. He met Harry Thompson and Jim Milburn and called to them to run to the bar, but they went a little way up the hill to get ant hooks to move burning logs. Milburn got to the bar after a terrible fight for life, his eyes being almost burned out of his head. Harry Thompson got lost, and made for the river, and after having his clothes burnt off, succeeded in reaching it. He threw himself into the river and tried to swim but could not hold his head above water. He thought he was about to be burned to death and decided to commit suicide but did not have the necessary nerve, after being in the water for six hours he finally managed to swim the river and although almost blind and terribly burned succeeded in reaching town.
Cherished Memories Funeral Services Ltd & Cherished Memories Crematorium Your loved one never leaves our care. cmfs@shaw.ca www.cherishedmemoriesfs.com PO Box 1554, Fernie, BC, V0B 1M0 250-423-7944
Helping families since 1994
ts of n i r p t o r The fo create ou ast p r nes u o t o s g in re. stepp u t u f e for th William Fernie