The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-24
RAIN COMES TO
THE RELIEF Of
F|RE-F|GHTERS
Their Heroic Work in
the Mountains.
OFTEN PENNED In BY FLAMES
SEVERAL MIRACULOUS ESCAPES
FROM DEATH.
Danger Not Yet Over and Patrols
Are on the Lookout-Forest
Commissioner Newhal
Out Of Place.
OFTEN PENNED IN BY FLAMES
SEVERAL MIRACULOUS ESCAPES
FROM DEATH.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

PASADENA, Oct. 23.-Rain at an
early hour this morning came to the
rescue Of the 200 exhausted f1re-fighters
in the San Gabriel Mountain range,
back of this city. The fires had spread
and were raging in different canyons.
In Henniger's Flats, about four miles
beyond Mount Wilson, the biggest
squad of men was working when the
clouds began rolling in at o'clock Sun
day morning. From then till o'clock
the mists kept drizzltng. One crew COM
ing down the canyon about daybreak
found an old man, who had become ex-
hausted, lying unde ledge Of rocks,
so that the raindrops could fall in his
mouth. Water and sandwiches revived
him sufficiently to hobble out.
Though the fires leap, twist, whirl,
Jump and run for hundreds of feet in
terrific fury, the men have thus far es-
capped being caught, though many ad-
ventures are reported. One squad, led
by Thomas Banbury. was in the canyon
between Wilson's Peak and Mount
Lowe when a change in the wind sent
the conf1agration leaping from forest
to forest, licking up whole acres Of
chaparral In q minute. covering all with
smoke and ashes. A fortunate turn in
the wind permitted them to escape, but
one of them, Cliff Rogers, struck high
gait down the mountains and never
quit running until he got to Pasadena.
Thomas Zachary Is thanking his
lucky stars for q narrow escape. He
was hundreds of feet down a narrow
canyon when he saw q great boWlder
rushing with tremendous velocity down
upon him. With rare presence of mind
he darted under a bushy clump just
in time to see 1t bound over him in it's
resistless force. Many other men have
been bruised, but the Pasadena Red
Cross Society have member Of the
Seventh Regiment Hospital Corps on
the ground to dress all wounds.
Alpine Tavern and the Mount Lowe
Railway property have all been saved.
For a time it looked very dubious when
the flames were darling over the crest
of the ridge above and when hot ashes
were falling among the great pines
around the antique hotel up there, 5000
feet above the sea, but the vigorous
work of the lighters, spurred on by Man
ager J. S. Torrance of the Mount Lowe
Railway, promising the men double
wages to save the property, had it's
effect and the picturesque railway and
hotel remain as delight to all tourists.
Prompt action has also saved the
stately forests and green mountains
around Wilson's Peak and Martins
Camp. Though the fires are under con-
troll and the men are returning patrols
are keeping watch of the smoldering
embers and smaller fires. Unless there
comes more rain danger will not be all
passed for many days yet
All through this fight Commissioner
Newhall has demonstrated incompe-
tency and unfitness for his position. He
is a good man, but should be in a Red
lands Sunday-school rather than at the
head of q Government attempt to
protect our valuable water sheds. Man
ager Torrance, Harry Wilcox, Ranger
Border, Ranger Thomas and other
Pasadenans have had to bear the brunt
of the burden of this fight. Between
5000 and 1000 acres of these forest-cov-
cred mountains have been swept bare
by this last fire. The expense has been
heavy because of the Government send
ing many useless men into the noun
tains and by not acting more promptly
on the first alarm.
Professor e. w. Claypool, the Throop
Institute scientist, who has watched
forest fire fighting in Europe, comes
forward with the statement that the
only way to save the forest is by cut
ting anti-f1re paths in and through the
forests, so that the fires are stopped
by these paths before they get under
headwaV