The herald., 1898-01-22
KERN COUNTY
RANDsBURG

RANDSBUR hi, Jan. zI-(SpeClai
Correspondence At 2:30 a. m. on the
18th a fire started in frame building
in the rear of the Mojave saloon on
Rand avenue. Ten minutes later the
streets were filled with hundreds of per-
sons, rushing hither and thither, In
alarm and confusion. Men were carry
ing trunks, bedding and household
goods of every description to presume
bly, safe places, only to find in few
minutes burning buildings in the vi
cinity, rendering a further haul neces-
sary. This was repeated several times,
owing to the rapidity with which the
fire spread
The fire is supposed to have been
caused by a drunken mans careless
ness in handling lamp. The absence Of
water in sufficient quantities was woe
fully evident from the start, but the
heroic volunteer firemen performed
valiant service with the chemical engine,
and in the work Of demolishing burn
ing buildings and blowing up others, to
prevent the spread of the confiagration,
and incurred great risk to their lives.
BY o'clock the danger was over.
AS announced in the telegraphic col
umns of The Herald, the loss will aggre
gate fully 100000, and falls heavily on
many people in moderate circumstances,
especially as no insurance can be OBJ
tained as yet on Ransburg property.
Ten~owners will rebuild at once, and
more will follow soon. The fire has had
one good effect already in a decisive
movement for better protection from
fire, which will doubtless be inaugurated
speedily, as Randsburg cannot afford
to run any more such costly risks.
The through train from Barstow to
Johannesburg and return, connecting
with the Santa Fe overland, Is now an
accomplished fact. and patrons of The
Herald now receive their papers the
same day as issued at johannesburg.
N. w. Northrup, conductor; James
Coughlin, baggage man and mail clerk,
and L. Gilroy, express messenger, are in
charge of the Barstow and Johannes
burg railroad and its business.
Last month was the banner month for
the Yellow Aster Mining company. The
output for that period was 1000, $50. 900
of which was paid out for expenses. The
company now employs ninety men, and
the daily output of ore averages fifty
tons, a quantity sufficient to keep two
OT lHTee VI tHc 1dIlOCh Hills SOluS Ill
the time. On Saturday a Foos engine
and hoist were placed in position at one
Of the shafts, and if it works success
fully three more will be put in operation
in very short time, and more men will
be added to the force already working.
Since the completion of the Kramer
and Randsburg railroad. freight rates
have increased quite materially on both
the Santa Fe and the Southern Pacific
Many of the Rand merchants are kick
ing at the raise, and say that they will
go back to freight teams if a reduction
in rates is not made. From Los An
geles to Randsburg the freight charges
are nearly $24 per ton by railroad, and
many of the merchants claim that by
shipping by rail to Lancaster and thence
to Randsburg by team they can save
81 per ton.
A successful run on ore from the
Skookum mine was made at the
johannesburg reduction works last
week.
Last Sunday evening tug g-of-war be-
tween the King Solomon and Rands-
burg teams took place at the Orpheus
theater, the King Solomon boys win
ming. A challenge was at once issued
by the Randsburg boys for another con-
test, to be held next Sunday evening at
the skating rink for purse Of $100. The
challenge was accepted and the pro-
ceeds are to go toward swelling the fund
Of the fire department.
For some weeks Rev. Nagle Of the
Episcopal church has been quite ill.
Tuesday he left for st. Luke's hospital,
San Francisco His many friends here
hope that the care and treatment he will