The morning call., 1892-08-22
MARIN COUNTY FOREST FIRE
Liberty Ranch and the PachecO
Estate i'm Flames.
St. Vincent's Orphan Asylum and mil Valley
Endangered - Pasture Lands Destroyed.
San Rafael Water Works in Danger.

Two extensive fires broke ont last Friday
in Marin County in the forest in the vcin-
ity of San Rafael. They started within two
hours of each other, and although now we'll
under control are still slowly burning, apd
will, 1t is believed, continue TO do so until
effectually quenched by the rains.
At about o'clock Friday afternoon the
residents Of San Rafael. SausaliiO and Mil
Valley were surprised by dense column
of smoke some miles distant 10 the north OF
san Rafael which every hour grew bigger
and blacker. a similar scene was also OBJ
served In the north. 1t was concluded that
the smoke was caused by forest fires which
occasionally occur in the summer season,
when the trees and the grass are SO dry, ard
spread with frightful raDiditJ. Soon IecI-
ering from their surprise. some of the
citizens of San Rafael, taking with
them axes and hatchets, set out to visit the
burning woods on the north and the west,
prepared to render all possible assistance.
There was not any fire company at hand
and had there been it would have been of
but little service, since the system of fight
ing hre In the forest Is essentially differ
ent from the system adopted in the case of
a flre In city or town. The aim OF the
metropolitan fireman Is TO Quench the
flames in the burning building or buildings.
but tho woOdman Is less ambitious. Ali
that he attempts to do, in fact all he can
do, is to cODfne the fire within specified
limits. Engines. hose and water are in
consequence virtually useless TO him. He
never thinks OF saving the burning timber,
but. on the contrary, tries hs best TO en-
circle the fire with q trail sufficiently wide
TO check its course. For this purpose he
requires brush broOms and axes to clear a
way through the thick growth OF brush. also
a sound, practical acquaintance with the
topography OF the country.
THE SMALLER FIRE.
The PaehecO estate, some five miles north
of San Rafael and two miles from st. Vim
cents Orphan Asylum, proved 10 be the
locality Of the smaller Of the two conasgra-
tons. 1t started on the dairy ranch of
Hans Nelson and before it could be stayed
ran over a tract of reclaimed land owned by
Mr.. Ferris ana the Novato meadows. The
country was thickly wooded, but the main
damage was TO the grass, the land for use
as a pasture for stock being entirely ruined.
The fencing also suffered to some extent,
and the only reason why the comparatively
few farm buildings escaped destruction is
that they were luckily situated to the
windward. The asylum also had a rather
narrow escape, for the fire approached TO
within a few hundred yards of it. III
high wind had prevailed 1t could not easily
have been saved. but the woodmen labored
with Will and the existing conditions in-
Sured their success.
The children in the asylum for time
were somewhat frightened. but soon forgot
their fears and experienced much pleasure in
watching the startled quail aud jackrabbits
fleeing before the FIRE, aud in admring the
skill OF the wOOdmen, who were struggling
SO resolutely to arrest its course.
Liberty ranch, located in the hills on the
line of the county road, midway between
San Rafael and BOliuas Bay, was the scene
of the second confagration, which in dura-
tion of time and IN area of territory eX-
ceeded that Of the Pacheco estate
Taking team at San Rafael Yesterday
afternoon, CALL reporter after drive Of
about 10 miles along a rather mountainous
and serpentine road, arrived at quaint
Liberty, who leases il, together with the
Land, from Messrs. Shaiter Il Howard of
San Francisco. The ranch. comprising IL 600
acres, is used principally for the pasturage
Of stock.
The land. although comparatively unim.
proved, is still valuable aud is the home of
many valuable cattle. The only house on
the estate, besides the one already men,
toned, is called the Kent cottage" rented
by Palmer e. Rey Of this city, but at present
unoecupied. The rolling country Is covered
with redwood, pine, scrub oak and manza-
nlta. Small game is plentiful and occasion
ally there are seen few deer.
HOW THE FIRE STARTED.
The story of the fire was thus told by
Mrs. Liberty: Two peddlers called here
last Friday noon and soon after they had
gone / noticed a suspicious column of smoke
rising skyward from the old saw-mil bridge,
a mile and half from the house. at the foot
OF B0linas grade. My son Leland immedi-
ately went there 10 see what was the trou-
bic, aud discovered that the fire had caught
the bridge at Lagunitas Creek, turned
south, ascended the hill and Travelled thence
along the Sweet George Greek toward
Lagunitas Lake. / sent messenger post
haste 10 the president of the San Rafael
water Company for assistance. 1t was not
long In coming. Fifteen men were soon on
the spot and / tell you they've been busy
ever since. With their axes they cut trails
through the timber. cleared a circle round
the fire and with their coarse brush -brooms
swept IL clean. In this way they success
fully fought the fire. All night Friday and
all night Saturday they worked, aud, as
result, the Kent cottage was saved from de-
struetlon. IL Is unoccupled how, but is
filled with valuable furniture. At noon to-
day Sunday the fire was well under con-
troll. The wind when the fire started was
In the northwest 1t was not very high and
IL Is lucky that the men were accordingly
able to check the spread of the fire so soon
as they did, for 1t was travelling rapidly
toward Mil Valley. and had 1t
reached there the loss Of property
would have been very severe. As 1t is, my
pastures are worthless until another year.
For the loss OF the timber We don't care so
muca. The land on the north side OF La
gitnitas creek Is comparatively uninjuTed.
Ibe heaviest damage has been sustained by
the San Rafael Water. Company through the
burning OF its watersheds aud bridges.
cannot say what sum, but it must be con-