The herald., 1893-08-08
FIGHTING FIRE.
A ACoNFLAGRATIoN ON THE SLOPES
OF ELYsIAN PARK.
The Police, the Street Superintendent
and tho Fire Department Lend
Their Efforts to squeich-
ing tho Blaze.

afternoon breathless and excited man
entered tho city council chamber and
spoke q few brief words in Chairman
Teed's ear. Mr.. Teed then announced
that he had just received information to
the effect that the forest OF young trees
recently planted on the western border
OF Elysian park were in great danger OF
destruction from q fierce brush FIRE
which was rapidly sweeping in their di-
rection. Councilman Innes rose and
moved that the superintendent of streets
should at once be directed to take his
entire force of deputies and laborers and
use every effort to inture the preserva-
tion of the trees.
The motion was unanimously carried
and word Immediately eent to the street
superintendent. Within 10 minutes
afterward Superintendent Watson, &C.
companied by all the deputies he could
gather at such ehort notice and press
representative, boarded a Temple street
car and were whirling merrily out
toward the confagration. At the corner
OF Bellevue and Beaudry avenues they
met Deputy Superintendent Dan Lynch
with his 16 men and three teams, hard
at work getting Beaudry avenue into
condition. A few brief commands from
Superintendent Watson and the wagons
were loaded with men and pushing
rapidly in the direction Of Elysian
park.
In the meanwhile the same excited
individual who had notified the city
council and whose name could not be
ascertained, rushed into the police
station and stated the exigency OF the
case to Chief Glssu. The chief fortun-
ately had 13 patrollmen at that time in
the building attending what is known
as SCHOOL" and he Immediately
ordered them out for fire duty under the
direction OF Sergeant Morton. A chemi-
cal engine had also been dispatched to
the scene by the fire department.
Then began race between the street
superintendent and, the sargent of po.
lice and the chemical engine. The
chemical was knocked out shortly, it
being impossible to pull it up the steep
hillsides over which the conf1agraticn
was raging, and it was .tie between
the others entered, as they reached
the locality about the same time.
All hands set to work vigorously with
shovels. rakes. and branches of cedar,
and within q short time all traces OF
danger from fire to the young trees wac
removed.
The assistance arrived just in time,
however, and had it not been for the
prompt action of the city authorities,
many trees and many hundreds OF dol
lars would nave been lost to the city.
An extent OF ground covering at least
half a mile was burned along the west
ern boundary OF the park. The fire ex-
tended in some places at least 200 feet
within the line, and many of the young
eucalyptus, accsc cias and cedars will die
from the frey effects of today's treat
ment.
The fire started about IL O'Clock in
small grove of eucalyptus trees at the
corner of Morton and Effie streets.
1t is said, by a small colored boy who
was herding cows, to have been started
i by man, whom he described in dozen
different ways.
AT all events the blackened waste
started from that point, and under the
stiff sea breeze spread in triangular
form until it was over a mile in extent,
and its widest expanse at least half
mile.
One thing. which may at least be con-
sidered remarkable, was that on the
line OF the park and situated on one Of
the highest knolls, was found a large
wooden tank, 20 feet in diameter and 8
feet deep, but whose interior was en-
tirely destitute of water. How valuable
the volume OF water, which that tank
should have contained, would have been
can be imagined.
After the fire along the park line and
within its borders had been extinguished,
a new danger suddenly presented itself.
! Far below the summit of the ridge on
which the party stood, lay collection
OF four houses and an enormous hay
rick owned by Edward Pfeifer. The
flames were rushing furiously up steep
| gulch below the buildings, and threat
ening them with imminent danger.
With a whoop, all hands rushed to
the rescue, and clambering down a hill
some 200 feet high, arrived in time to
beat back the fire and save the build
ings.
There was an exciting time yesterday
afternoon on the western border OF
Elysian park, and it WAS weary but a
successful party that walked or jolted
along in the hard wagons, the three
miles back to the Temple street cars.
The funeral parlors of Howry & Bre.
see, on South Broadway, are the finest
on the coast.
Londonderry Water. Woollacott, ag't.
| S0WERKROWT .sTEPHENs.