The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1884-08-02

MODESTO, Cal, July 2l.-Yesterday
morning news was hrou 5ht to this place
over the telephone that the " hole coun
try was on fire north Of Oakdals or inst
across the Stanislaus River, near Bur.
nett's Station. Looking IN that direction
great clouds of smoke could he seen rising
from the plains. The sight was a ter
rible one. By noon it was reported that
over ten thousand acres had been burned
AMI that the whole country was in dan.
ger. Excitement ran high here and a
great many pc ,ple started for the fire,
determined to d. all they possibly could
t. assist those in trouble. Your cor.
respon lent started fr the fire at once.
lie arrived at Oakdale in the afternoon
and found that the damage had been
much greater than was believed in Mo
dest". The streets " ere filed with those
who had done good duty at the fire.
Hundreds of men we're lying around
with the hair burned off their heals,
and when they attempted to tell how
they had fought the fire, it could be seen
that they suffered intense pain. Hun
dreds Of them were so badly used up that.
they were compelled to leave the fire.
The fire moke out on the northwest
corner of Colonel Caleb D,rseys ranch,
about five miles from the river. 1t is
supposed that two men we're smoking,
AMI that the fire from their pipes caught
The grain, end before they noticed it it
got under such healway that no one
could 90 near enough to put it out. w.
e. Carmichael was the first one to dis.
cover it. He was going to nt ishb,r'>,
and came upon two men standing look.
ing at small FIRE near by. He call-d
to them to come AMI help him put the
fire out, anl the three went to work at
once; hut there was high wind blow
ing, and it smn became evident to Mr..
Carmichael that the alarm would have to
be given. lie ran to C'lonel D,rsey's
residence, and in few minutes the dread
ful news was flying from farm to farm
AMI men G sthered from all parts of the
country.
By this time it was under full head.
way, and they saw that no power conll
save Colonel D,rsey's large ranch. Men
ru he'd in with wet sacks, AMI many
pulled of their coats, but the fire moved
along faster than horse could walk.
La short time it had spread over Colo.
mel D'rsey's field, and one thousand acres
OF the finest grain in the country was
burned to the ground. The fire then
spread from Colonel D D,rsey's {, IL.
trangers ranch, Consisting of alb nut
eight hundred acres. At thi, point I.
W. Gilmer met the fam, with a band
OF men and began to blackburn, that il,
he plowed several burrows and started a
new fire. Mr.. Gilmer and his men
worked so effectually that only 10 acres
os MS grain Was burned. From there it
spread to w. NJ. Muncy's ranch, con.
Nstlhg OF 40 acres. The men fought
bravely. but n, power could save it, and
the whole field was in flames in few
minutes. By this time Ike Watson's 3
ranch was reached and go acres Of his
hhe grain was destroyed. The next
place doomed to destruction was r. Rob.
'Ason's. Mr.. R R,binson lost about 1929
acres.
BY this time the whole country was
aiive with men, and they were 50 thor.
onyhly organized that the flames were
stopped. The fire started about 10
o'clock and it was not under control till
$50. During this tin it had run about
hve miles all covered country three
miles vide, destroying some Of the finest
grain IN the valley. ltwas reported that
several farm houses had been DESTROYED.
Colonel Dorsey Lost one Of his tenant
h'uses and the barn, valued at $3.50.
lie also lost threshing machine and one
OF Shippee's combined headers and
'nreshers, valued at about $1,000.
moan. DOOr man pavar L,n,,, ,,.Loa -