The San Francisco call., 1908-09-03
Mother of Forest" Is the Only
Giant Reached by De-
structive Flames
Upper Branches of Famous Mon
arch of Woods Are Singed
by Fire
Rangers and Ranchmen Make
Desperate Fight and Save
SequOias

STOCKTON, Sept. 2.-Late to-
night, after a day of wild conflicting
reports concerning the progress of
the forest fires raging in the vicinity
of the famous Caiaveras grove of big
trees, it was learned definitely from
the scene of the FIRE itself that the
magnificent grove of titanic sequoias
has been saved and is now beyond
danger.
Only the mother OF the forest"
. great dead giant that rears itself to
a height of 327 feet near the north
edge Of the grove, suffered from the
flames. Yesterday and last evening
the Ere swept into the upper branches
OF this famous monarch of the woods.
burning away much Of the bark that
remained above the huge stripped
trunk and threatening TO shower down
burning embers that would kindle
the entire grove.
RANGERS FIGHT FLAMES
TO the heroic work of about 100 for
est rangers. the assistance Of ranchers
from miles around and the timely shift
ing OF the wind at noon today is due
the perpetuation Of the great trees.
The hotel at the edge of the grove has
been saved and the flames are now
spreading away from the grove up the
San Antoine ridge. leaping farther and
farther away from the noted sequoias
with each successive hour. An area
oi about FIVE square m3esss To- Mzaich
the nearest sett ment is Gardners,
has been burned over and a large guam
ttty of valuable timber has been de-
stroyed.
Shortly before o'clock tonight ]. NJ.
Stephens Of Murphys was reached over
the long distance telephone and stated
that the FIRE was no longer threaten
ing the big trees and that while the
flames were still smOldering in the
upper part OF the Mother Of the For
est" the rest of the big trees were
safe. He said he believed the fire in
the forest OF the san Antoine ridge
also would be checked or put out en-
tirely during the night. He had just
been in communication with men direct
from the scene OF the fire and secuted
as without foundation the stories cir
culsted that the Calaveras grove was
burning and could not be saved.
ENGINE SPARKS START FIRE
The fire was started on Monday
afternoon by a spark from a logging
engine hauling logs TO Manners mill
snd gained rapid headway- AS It spread
without cessation the forest rangers
were summoned and with what assist
snce they could secure from outside
have remained in the woods night and
day until the present time, fighting a
hand TO hand battle. against the onrush
OF the fire. Back firing was resorted
10 and the strip between the big trees
and the San. Antoine creek was burned
over. Many visitors were camped in
the vicinity OF the grove, but no fatal
sites have been reported.
The Calaveras group which has had
such a narrow escape is owned by a
Michigan millionaire named Whiteside
and contains the most magnificent speci-
mems OF the seQCoia gigantae in the
world. The trees. which had their birth
in prehistoric ages. are famed as the
largest in existence. The grove con-
talns 1880 Of the mammoth sequoias of
from so to 1o4 feet in circumference and
ranging in height from 800 to 365 feet,
and nearyl all of the larger trees have
been named and labeled.
The Father Of the Forest" a massive