The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-21
ON FIRE.
The California Woods in Flames Great Tracts
OF Lnnd UeXnatRIed.

The c"liorna TSSSI SSS s Tracts
The Oakland (Cal) Transcript OF last Saturday
For the past three days a destructive connagration
has been raging in the foothills, about five miles
from Oakland. The fire originated Wednesday fore
noon, at the works of the Contra Costa Water Com
pany, from bonfire OF brush kinded by some OF
the wOrkmen. Wednesday afternoon and night the
fire spread slowly, and Thursday it continued its
course down the canon occupied by the water COM
pany, and in the evening reached the Telegraph
road. Shortly after sundown the house OF the
Rev. Mr.. White took fire and was very quickly
consumed, me furniture ana personal property
being entirely destroyed and Mrs. White whose
husband Is absent barely escaped serious injury The
house and contents and surrounding property de-
stroyed estimated at $1,000. In the same vicinity
the hay stock OF A. d. Colby was burned, and d. A.
$780, was also destroyed The fire spread in every dl-
recton, and yesterday had travelled as far as the
Staples ranch and in the evening the fire could be
seen in the hill in the OF the University grounds
having crossed deep canons and Wide roads. In its
progress immense quantities OF standing hay, tim
ber and grass were consumed, and fences to an eX-
tent thus far unknown have been consumed The
fire appeared to be raging with full force last night
progressing in n0rthwestery direction, and finally
disappearing from sight as 1t crossed the highest
ridge Of hills and descended into the valleys below
and directly to the north. The line of the fire was
steadily advancing westward, and doubtless
large amount of property was destroyed. The
damage that had been sustained to property in this
county up to nine O'Clock last night could not have
been less than $4,000, and the loss that will result
from the destruction OF growing trees aud the
pasturage upon which thousands of the cattle de-
pend for subsistence can hardly be estimated. or
course the residents OF the section In which the fire
prevailed did everything In their power to check its
progress, and all known eXpedients for lighting fire
were promptly resoTted to, but all were unaVaing.
Last evening the steam fire engine was taken to the
vicinity OF the University grounds and the
Deaf Dumb, and Blind Asylums. The fire had
reached point within afty feet OF the out
buildings of the Asylum, but the persons pres
ent managed to beat it out with bushes and old
sacks The residence of Mr.. Batcheder, OF Berkeley
was in imminent danger. Near by was spring IN
which there abont eight inches OF water and the
engine was stationed by it, with steam up, ready for
an emergency. There was only water enough to
supply 1t for q few moments and the greatest pru-
dence was therefore necessary. Fortunately, by
their Individual Efforts the flames were arrested in
their progress. The liremen united Win the people
of the neiQhborhood In beating down the names
while they kept their apparatus so that as the last
resort they could fall back on what little water tney
could obtain little after nine O'Clock, tne course
OF the fire was turned, and II was, at later hour
making its way over toward Martinez. Large OAK
trees burned readily before blast ana the SURFACE OF
the bills Is completely bare, and the raylnes are
completely burned out, no chapparel being leIt.