Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-06
Threaten Destruction
to Little Towns
in Canyons
Heavy Loss Occasioned
to Fore ,tration
Reserves
Rumors of Great Danger to San Fer
nando Watershed and Los Angeles
Water Supply Are Author
itatively Denied

Three forest fires, raging simulta-
neousy in the mountains east of San
Fernando yesterday and last night.
threatened for a time to work serious
damage to the watershed of the San
Fernando valley and little towns in the
canyons were barely saved from COM
plete destruction. Several persons mar
rowly escaped with their lives, but as
4 far as known no one was killed or seri-
ousy injured.
Late at night the fire was under con-
troll and the danger of it's spreading
was reduced to a minimum. In the
Little and Big Tejungas and the terri
tory around the Soledad the forest was
completely devastated, working one of
the greatest injuries to the forset re-
serves that this part of the country
has known. The fire near the Soledad
ihterfered with the power line that
brings power. from the Kern river, ana
as consequence all the street cars
In the city drawing power from that
source were stopped for about two
hours
ing country were called on to fight the
flames and the wholly insufficient force
that could be gathered brought down
anathemas on the government for its
parsimony in reducing the number of
forest rangers. Before the fire could
be controlled many square miles OF
young forest had been destroyed.
Damage Not Known
4 10, kr.
estimate the loss and the full nature
of the damage. The government,
through the necessity for reforestra-
ton. will probably be the heaviest
loser. The first scare that reached
the city, to the effect that the water
shed was being entirely swept away
and that Los Angeles would suffer for
water as a consequence, has been au-
thoritatively denied. The burned area
is but a small part of the many miles
of mountain and timber that sheds
water into the San Fernando valley.
While the eastern portion of the shed
has suffered materially the northern
and western sides are practically un-
harmed.
The wife and 4-year-old daughter of
f. M. Wellington, deputy in the office
of the city clerk, were among those
whose lives were threatened by the
fire They, with a party of eight
friends who had been camping In a
canyon three and half miles from
Newhall. only escaped from the rag
ing fiames by fleeing through the
chaparral to Newhall. Mrs. Yelling
ton dragged her little daughter Rachel
with one hand while with the other
she forced her way through the thick
underbrush. Both mother and daugh-
ter were severely scratched. All their
clothes and effects were lost.
Compelled to Flee
'"We saw the fire in the northeast
about $3.50 o'clock this morning. said
Mrs Wellington, in telling of her ex-
periences. I'VE watched 1t coming
nearer and nearer, the thick smoke
rolling up in clouds, but had no thought
that it would reach us. The wind was
very high and blowing in our direction
and before noon we came to the conclu-
sion that we would have to get out
The flames came by leaps and bounds
The smoke was sitting and the heat
was intense. We soon saw that we
would have to go quickly and we went
leaving everything. One woman In our
party tried to carry a suit case with
Continued ON pnEe two.