Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-31
SAN BERNARDIN0 APPEALED
TO FOR AID
POPULAR CAMP IN JEOPARDY
conflasrstIon the Worst for Many
Years and Is Being Fought by
Rangers and Hundreds Of
Assistants
Special to The Herald.


mountains northwest Of the city during
the past two days today has assumed
serious proportions and now threatens
to do enormous damage before It is
stopped. Today 1t reached the heavy
pine timber belt and crossed the top OF
the range to the north slope. Already
a considerable quantity of timber has
been burned and hundreds of acres
more will be destroyed If some way is
not found to check 1t.
Famed by the stiff west breeze the
fire this afternoon reached the brink of
Devil canyon, and while great effort
Is being made to stop the fire at that
point 1t Is feared that 1t will eat its
way into the canyon, which is popular
resort and camping place for thousands
Of people every summer.
1t has been learned that the fire was
started by a rancher named Myers,
just above Verdemont, to burn some
brush. 1t got the start of him, ran into
the mountains and now has burned over
thousands of acres, most of 1t brush
land but nevertheless invaluable as a
watershed. The worst feature is the
destruction of the heavy timber which
is now going on.
The entire force of forest rangers in
this section, aided bv hundreds of
ranchers and summer campers in the
mountains, are engaged in fighting the
flames but their efforts thus far have
been in vain, the fire continually
spreading. 1t is the worst fire that has
occurred in the mountains of this
vicinity for many years.
Chief Forest Ranger Tortenson to-
night sent an appeal to the city for aid,
and party of twenty men was at once
made UP and started for the mountains,
teams accompanying them and carry
ing large supply of provisions. An
other party will start early in the morn
ing to reinforce the fire fighters. In
tense heat makes the work very diff
cult.
Investigation of the matter of J. D.
Hughes, who was supposed to have
taken a dose of formaldahyde with sui
ficials. They are inclined-no to be-
lieve that Hughes did not take much, If
any at all, of the deadly liquid. Indeed
they now believe it was a clever plan
on his part to escape from prison. 1t
is thought that Hughes opined that he
would be at once removed to a. hospital,
where he would secure an opportunity
to get away, but IL that was his plan
it miserably failed, for he is still in the
JAIL, He is making a rapid recovery. A
young man, Frank Thompson, who has
been bringing meals to the prisoners,
has been detained on charge of bring
ing poison to the prisoners. He denies
it but the officers are investigating.
Superintendent Has Narrow Escape
Robert Deakon. superintendent of the
Riverside Highland Water company,
had narrow escape from death at the
Lytle creek power house. With other
workmen he was engaged in adjusting
the machinery when a big 12-inch belt
suddenly slipped and struck him on
the head, knocking him fiat and rem
dering him unconscious. He was car
ried away for dead. but restoratives
finally brought him to- Although
severely injured he will recover.
The Hartley railroad franchise went
on the same rocks In Cotton as in this
city, 1t being found that the notice of
sale was illegal and that 1t will have
to be readvertised. Just what the out
come of the matter will be is hard to
state but strong influences are being
brought to kill the enterprise.
While working under his engine,
Jacob Feazel, Southern Pacific en-
gineer, received serious injuries about
the face and head at Redlands. The
fire had gone out in the fire box and
quantity of gas had accumulated.
When the fireman lighted the fire 1t
caused an explosion, which blew the
engineer fifteen feet and rendered him
insensible. His face was severely
burned, but no bones were broken.
The Salt Lakes newspaper train
made remarkable run to this city yes
terday morning. covering the distance
in sixty-seven minutes, including five
stops. This was at mile minute
pace
Local officers are Investigating an
alleged violation of the deer law in
this county by f. f. Binder, Riverside
county game warden but as yet no
warrant has been issued and it is doubt
full whether there will be one. Mr..
Binder was in the city today on busi-
ness, but the officers made no attempt
to arrest him. The portion of the law
said to have been violated is that sec
ton relative to taking deer meat out
of the county.
The intense heat which has prevailed
here for the past four days is still on
hand, the thermometer today being in
the vicinity of 106 degrees. The lowest