The San Francisco call., 1895-11-18
Vast Tracks Laid Waste in the
Vicinity of Placerville
and Santa Rosa.
RAGING NEAR ANGELS CAMP.
The Utica Company's Immense Flume
Said to Be Burning-Many
Cabins Destroyed.

PLACERVlLLE, CAL., NOV. ll.-f1re-
fighters are still battling with forest flames
in all directions, but it is believed the
worst has passed, and Placerville is no
longer threatened. The settlers hope is
now that winds will not spring up until
the tinder-like brush has been dampened
by a rain. To-day some idea of the dam
age wrought by the confagration was OBJ
tanned, and reports from certain districts
are appalling.
East of Placerville, on the Carson road,
]: D.. Blakely lost 500 tiers of cordwood,
much timber and many miles of fence, and
saved his residence with much difficulty.
All his grazing land was devastated. n.
L. Dingman's honse, above Smiths Flat,
is reported burned, but reports are meager
owing to the telephone connection being
cut off. Rupley, in the same neighbor-
hood, loses good timber, fences and grass.
All the cattle in the neighborhood were
driven ahead of the flames and saved.
The Toulouse mining mill was saved by
the heroic work of men gathered to the
scene.
People started for Smiths Flat, three
miles distant, early this morning, but late
in the evening messengers have not rs-
turned. The flames are visible from Placer
vile, but not so glaring nor so high as
last night.
Dan Bull OF the Georgetown, Auburn
and Placerville stage line, came in this
forenoon, having driven through the
burned territory, and reported that the
flames were still raging between George
town and Cool for fourteen miles, He
said much valuable timber was destroyed,
and that the fire was heavy in the forests
in the neighborhood of the Taylor mine,
but that the mill was well protected and
could not be injured. He reported that
around Gold Hill, seven miles west OF
here, much timber and all the grazing was
destroyed, fences were burning and the
fire was rapidly spreading, but there was
no wind. Southeast of town two cabins
were destroyed, but no lives lost.
The handsome residence of Ex-senator
Larkiu was saved by the most heroic
efforts of a large force of men. The fire
reached the large barn and winery, but
was kept at bay. The immense orchard
and vineyard were badly damaged.
Several miners cabins were burned.
The buildings of the Ten Cup mine had a
narrow escape. Household goods were
moved into the tunnels, and whipping the
flames for ten hours without intermlssion
saved the property.
The whole country between Weber
Greek and Emigrant road, beyond the
Grand Victory mine, is ablaze along
Squaw Creek to the Cosumnes River. The
great precautions in the case of fire at the
Grand Victory, with its large engines and
good water supply for fire purposes, saved
the property. There was much new tim
ber there preparatory to improvements
and new stamps to be erected, but fortun-
ately the flames were kept at safe dis
tance. On Zumwalt's property, adjoining
the mill territory, cabin occupied by a
miner and his family was destroyed.
Sparks, dead cinders and ashes were
blown into Placerville and the air is still
one dense fog of smoke. The flames on
the midnight air last night were plainly
visible for many miles, and the glare was
of melancholy grandeur. The cracking
of the burning pines and needles, the dry
brush and the roaring noise of the great
conaagration was like the rushing torrents
of Niagara or the deafening noise of a
dozen avalanches. Nothing of its kind or
of so great an extent is recalled here by
the oldest inhabitants.
The wind has fallen, but the fires are
still spreading, though fear for Placer
ville's safety has subsidized. The fire fol-
lowed a semicircie from Diamond Springs
on the west along Weber Creek, reaching
to the Cosumnes River to the south and
east, joining another confagration coming
from the northwest.
The surrounding country, covering from
ten to fifteen miles from the center to the
outer line of the circle and reaching about
thirty miles along this outer edge, con-
stituted one great furnace at midnight,
that we'll might give apprehension for the
loss of life and property. Everything is
dry as tinder, no rains of consequence
having fallen this season. People are still
fighting the flames in various quarters,
but it is thought if the wind does not rise
there will not be any further loss of con-
sequence. The origin OF the fire is un-
known and seemingly baffied all efforts
A.