The San Francisco call., 1910-08-23
CONFEDERATION IS
STARTED BY Child
Three Homes Destroyed in COrte
MADEIRA Despite Efforts
of Neighbors
Whole Countryside Joins Anna
teur Brigade in Struggle
Against Flames


society girls. women and men battled
for three hours here today against a
IRE that destroyed three residences
and barns and threatened for time to
wipe out the entire eastern section of
the town -Four persons tainted from
heat and exhaustion. a woman was
forced TO fee from her bathroom with
only coat wrapped about her, while
girls and matrons formed bucket bri-
gades and carried furniture side by
side with the nremen from San Ansel-
mo. Larkspur and Mill Valley. The
damage is estimated at $1,000, aside
from the breakage Of furniture that
was rescued from the flames
Among the young women who per
formed heroic work was Miss Eva
Rea, niece Of former san Francisco
supervisor l. a Rea. who organized q
number OF her girl friends into a fire
nghting brigade TO pass water to the
men and help carry out the furniture.
Miss Rea is leading the contest for
queen OF the coming Larkspur booster
day. and is a. pretty as she is pluckY.
As her lieutenants in the brigade were
Mrs Frank Martin and Berniee Cagwin,
q former carnival queen Of Larkspur.
WOMAN GIVES ALARM
Mrs Martin was the first 10 give the
q arm From the porch OF her home
she saw blaze on the veranda of the
residence of Robert Kendall. d plumber,
about 30 o'clock this afternoon. Mrs.
Kendalrs . year old niece. Viola An
drews, started the fire while playing
with a bunch of matches in a heap of
excelsior that had been removed from
new furniture on the porch. Mrs Ken
dan heard Mrs Martin screaming for
her to escape She was taking bath
~ the time and was forced to seize the
hrst garment handy. long coat, and
rush. into the hallway. which was al
ready hlled with smoke Mrs. Martin
hurried TO the rear OF the house and.
entering. led the half suffocated inmate
20 the open air. The child was found
safe in the garden. Mrs Martin took
the baby and Mrs. Kendall 10 her home
near by.
Meanwhile d general alarm had
spread The home Of Mrs Mary Reiger.
a widow. caught fire and she escaped
while the roof was blazing. The hand
some residence Of Jules Godart the
architect. HeNt was food for the flames.
Three barns were burned to the ground
in rapid succession.
GIRLS To RESCUE
The fire had been raging but Is min
utes when Miss Rea arrived on the
scene after a run of half a mile from
her home. AS she rushed TO the scene
she hailed every young woman friend
in hearing and directed them TO follow
her. The girls thought nothing of their
light summer dresses, nor did they hesi-
tate TO scOrch their hair as they worked
in the heat of the fire aiding unfortu-
nate neighbors. Miss Rea was the
leader. and kept her fair helpers busy
passing pals of water. except those
who rescued valuables from the threa t
ened dwellings.
Mrs. J. i. Shultz, whose home was in
danger. tainted and was carried to a
nearby residence. Dolf Dougherty, a
former town trustee of Larkspur
lsbored so strenuously helping the
women and children and directing the
FIRE fighters that he was overcome and
remained unconscious several minutes
Lucian GOdart. the II year old son Of
the architect. also tainted when he ar
rived from San Francisco and found
that his home had burned Such excite
ment prevailed that his sister Blanche.
aged Is, also swooned when she re-
turned from school and saw the havoc
the flames had wrought. The flames
spread to the hills back of the town
and spread over 20 acres of uninhabited
grass land before they were checked
by force OF men using wet sacks.
Scores Of men from Larkspur. Corte
MADEIRA. Kent1eId. San Anselmo. as well
as small delegations from Mill Valley
and san Rafael. aided in lighting the
flames. Particular credit is due to the
Larkspur volunteer fire depa rtment
whose heroic work did much to subdue
the flames. Eight young men from the
Marin golf and country club also came
in an automobile and assisted.
ENTIRE SECTION AROUSED
The entire countryside was aroused
and the town was only saved by united
and sUperhuman effort. Maurice Dore
and Buck" Anderson. young members
OF the golf club. did good work
The following buildings were burned:
Residence II Robert Kendall. plumber; value
S3.VgG, insurance $1,000; owned by Mrs. c. F.
Kendall.
Residence of Jules Godart architect; value
Ss000. Insurance $1,000.
Residence of Mrs. Mary Rieger; value 81. 900,
Barn Of }. E. Schultz. contractor. value $500,
Barn Of c. T. Baker, iithographer; value $500,
Barn of c. p Moore, contractor; value 5000,
no Insurance.
The homes in The immediate vicinity
that were saved by the hremen and
young women We're as follows:
Residence Of c T. Moore. roof damaged.
Residence Of ). Z. Schultz, roof and walls
damaged.
Residence Of ". a. James merchant.
Residence II Benjamin Fsure, employed in City
Of Paris. san Francisco.
Residence Of benjamin Scouler. shoe mer-
chant
Residence II B. Burchall. book keeper
Among the young women and girls
who assisted in lighting the fire and
saving the effects Of the residents were
the following:
Miss Myrtle Rsedhof Miss Hazel Hanna
Miss Elizabeth James Miss Lillian Gardner
Mrs R. kinny Miss Elma Bailey
Mrs. r.. l.. Stevens Miss Eva Rea
Mrs. J. T. De Lucy Mrs Frank Martin
Mrs. 3. Scouler Miss Bernicc Csgwin