The San Francisco call., 1897-07-19
Forest BlaZeS Near Red
Bluff Sweep On
Unchecked.
Eight Dwellings and a School,
house Known to Have
Been Burned.
Orchards Blighted by the Flames
and Pastures Denuded of
Vegetation.

w
day morning has burned over large sec
ton. There was hard wino blowing
from the north and the flames were car
ried with almost incredible speed through
the dry grass, low brush and stubble
fields, carrying everything before them
with roar and rush that were awful.
Fences, barns sheds and houses were de-
stroyed, in addition TO the vast amount
of feed for stock. The distance from the
place where the fire started to where it is
now burning is at least eighteen miles.
The width of the path made by the flames
varies from five to ten miles.
The origin of the fire is not known, al
though it is said by residents from the
country which has been traversed by the
flames that it was started by two young
men. Mutterings are heard among the
people and if it were proved that an in
cendiary had applied the torch that has
caused so much damage some one of the
scorched and blackened oak trees would
bear grewsome weight from one OF its
limbs.
Just at present the people are excited
and worn out from their long labors and
it has been almost impossible to get ac-
respondent, however, visited the scene.
He found men, women and children e1.
haustsd from the severe strain they had
undergone during the past two days. In
some instances the fire has run up to with
in few feet of house and then been eI-
tinguished. Eight dwelling-houses and
two schoolhouses have been burned. The
houses of Cash Smith, William Shoe
maker and Louis Wright, together with
barns and sheds were destroyed yester-
day mornin g, and at noon the Dlbble
Creek schoolhouse was razed by fire.
The burning of this building enabled the
flames TO cross Dibble Greek. They had
come over the hills and down to the creek
with great rapidity, but for time it was
thought they would be stopped there. The
schoolhouse caught, however, and the
burning shingles carried the flames across
the creek. Away they went again, now
seeming tc stop for moment as if to
gather strength and then dashing on,
sometimes jun ping as far as 300 feet at a
time.
The fire on the north side of Dibble
Creek continued to move on up and down
the side of the dry creek bed, endanger-
ing many homes. Sheriff Bogard got to-
gether a crew of men and sent them to
the Fortier place, four miles north of
town, where they were forced to remain
all night to save the buildings of Ranch
ers Fortier, Ewing and Plimire. After
hard struggle and well-timed back-fring,
the wall OF fire was stopped.
When the fire crossed Dibble Creek it
went to Pen Greek and down the canyon
like q racehorse. 1t seemed to break in
three pieces here, and one part came down
Brickyard Creek and wiped out the Nelson
p ace four miles from town. Another
part went west, ana it IS this wing that is
fsro aixya TOW ! he
fields of r. II. Blossom, twelve miles west
of Red Bluff.
Ali last night and to-day crews Of men
have been going out to hight fire, and as
none of them have returned it is evident
that their services are very much In de-
mand. From the tops of tall buildings in
Red Bluff after nightfall the flames were
seen by many people. The entire country
north and west of town seemed mass of
fire. and here and there could be seen the
brighter and higher blaze which an
nounced the destruction of some building.
The loss occasioned by this fire cannot
be estimated, and it will be several days
before it is known. Many people are
homeless. 1t is known that eight houses
have been destroyed, but the names of all
OF the owners cannot be learned. Miles
and miles of pasture land have been
denuded, and the loss is therefore inesti-
mable. The people who live in the coun-
try over which the hre has burned are
not in a position to stand this Ill fortune.
The speed with which the high wind
was bringing the fire toward Red Bluff
last night made the people here very I'M
easy, and preparations to turn out at a
moments notice were made.
This danger has passed now and the
town is safe. a great many small orchards
have been burned, and it is almost i'm
possible TO find fence in the path of the
confiagration.
The CALL correspondent was at Dibble
Creek when the fire came over the hills.
1t took the flames about fifteen minutes
to travel a mile and half The fire
would seem to strike bunch of grass or
brush and then bound 300 feet before
striking again. 4 crowd of men attem pied
TO stop the flames there but were COM
PEELED to run to get out of the way of the
heat and smoke. Animals crazed with
fright could be seen running before the
confiagration, and anon a sickening squeal
would announce that one had been over
taken and burned.