The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-07-16
A BIG FOREST FIRE
THREATENS THREE VILLAGES ON
CALIFORNIA MOUNTAIN
BURNING THREE DAYS
Col. George Bell, L. S. A., Directing
Fight of Six Thousand Sailors, Sol
diers and Citizens, Who Labor Side
by Side to Save Towns-Five Are
Reported to Have Been Killed.

Reported to Have been hIl1ed.
Forest fires are blazing fercely on
three sides of the Mount Tamalpais.
q landmark of California and play
ground and park of all the cities clus-
tered about San Francisco bay. Three
villages are threatened. The noun
tain was cloaked Wednesday by
mantle Of white smoke, which stream
ed across the bay like a wir 1 blown
scarf, but as darkness fell the noun
tain blazed above the bay like an
enormous beacon, Illuminating the sky
for miles.
Each morning since the blaze start
ed, it has seemed that danger was
passed, but each afternoon the trade
wind clustering in from the Pacific
has whipped the flames into life and
driven them across canyons and
trenches laboriously cut through the
underbrush, and into fresh timber on
the far side of the areas burned bare
by back fires.
The fires are believed to have re-
suited from carelessness Of campers.
Every available soldier from the San
Francisco preside and Fort Winfield
Scott on this side Of the bay and
Forts Baker and Barry across the
golden gate is fighting the fire, side
by side with civilians and sailors from
the United States war vessels. Prob
ably 5000 men are on the firelines,
seeking to beat back or wear down
blaze which broke out with increas-
ing fury late Wednesday and extend
ed Thursday morning over a 10-m!le
sweep.
Shops are closed and business is at
a standstill throughout the threaten
ed section. Col. George Bell, 18th
United States infantry, assisted by
District Chief Dubois, Of the forestry
service is directing the fight. Five SOL
diers are reported burned to death
Thursday and a half dozen little ham,
lets and towns at the foot Of Mount
Tamalpais await their salvation or
destruction, while +he fire which has
swept the mountain for three days is
reaching toward the plains and vine
yards to the north, and the Muir
woods NATURAL park on the south.
Mount Tamalpais lies on the north
side of San Francisco bay. Easy OF
access by ferry and electric lines, and
one of the beauty spots of California
it's foothills have become dotted with
cities and villages, while on its slopes
are hundreds of couples of wealthy
Californians.
Every weekend swarms of holiday
seekers thread the trails of the noun
tain, and tourists from all over the
country are familiar with its ascent.
In the deep ravines hide groves OF
giant sequoias. the most beautiful OF
which have been conserved in ma
tional park, named Muir Woods, for
John Muir the naturalist. The noun
tain IS COVSTeQ Will iSo'I
brush Of bay, laurel, chapparal and
scrub oak. For two days the fire
charged through this brush, climbing
to the highest peak. where it threat
ened to Tamalpais Tavern and west
Poin Inn hostelries.
Wednesday the fire ate its way 10
the sea on the west and into the RED
woods at the head Of the two can
vons on the east and north. leading to
the towns of Mill Valley, Corte Made
ra and Lake Spur. Fire at the edge Oh
Muir Woods was under temporary
control.
Reliance on saving the mill valley
and the other towns lies precariouslE
on a trench varying in width from 30
TO 1875 feet, which it is hoped, Will
stem the fire from further progress
down Baltimore and Blythedale can
vons. Once the canyons are fairly
ablaze it would take supernuman
work to save the habitations at their
mouth.