The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1913-07-11
CALIFORNIA FOREST FIRES
THOUSANDS FIGHTING FLAMES.
Three Villages Near San Francisco
Threatened-Shops Closed and
Business at StapdstiU.

San Francisco, July s.-Forest
fires are blazing fiercely tonight on
three sides of the Mount Tamalpais,
O landmark of California and play
ground and park of all the cities
clustered about San Francisco Bay.
Three villages are threatened. The
mountain was cloaked today by
mantle OF white smoke, which
streamed across the bay like a wind
blown scarf, but as darkness fell the
mountain blazed above the bay and
ocean like an enormous beacon, IL
Illuminating the sky for miles.
Each morning since the blaze
started, II 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 tim
ber on the far side OF areas burned
bare by back fires.
The fires are believed to have re-
suited from carelessness of campers.
Three thousand soldiers, sailors,
naval apprentices, forest rangers,
miiitiamen and volunteers are fight
Ing the flames and the women in the
threatened territory are working as
hard as the men.
BUSINESS TIED UP.
Shops are closed and business is
at standstill throughout the threat
ened section. Col. George Bell, 10th
United States infantry, assisted hy
District Chief Dubois, of the forestry
service, is directing the fight. Thus
far there has been no loss of life and
little damage to private property, al
though the possible damage is enor-
nous and emminent.
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 Cali
fornia, its foothills have become
dotted with cities and villages, while
on Its slopes are hundreds of couples
OF wealthy Californians.
Every weekend swarms of holi-
day-seekers thread the trails of the
mountain, and tourists from all over
the country are familiar with its
ascent. In the deep ravines hide
groves or giant sequoias, the most
beautiful of which has been conserv-
ed In a national park, named Muir
Woods, for John Muir, the natural
ist. The mountain is covered with
heavy underbrush of bay laurel.
chapparal and scrub oak. For two
days the fire charged through this
brush, climbing to the highest peak.
where 1t threatened Tamalpais
Tavern and West Point Inn hostel
rtes
FIRE EATS WAY TO SEA.
Today the fire ate its way to the
sea on the west and into the red
woods at the head of two canyons on
the east and north, leading to the
towns OF Mill Valley, Corte MADEIRA
and Lake Spur. Fire at the edge of
Muir Woods temporarily was under
control.
Blythedale Canyon, leading to Mill
Valley, is lined with country places.
The most exposed OF these is the
beautiful estate known as 1.-THE Gar
den OF Allah" owned by Falston
Lovett White. and valued at $1,000
600. Tonight there was hope of saw
Ing 1t, but 1t still is in danger.
Reliance on saving Mill Valley and
the other towns lies precariousiy to-
night on a trench varying in width
from 65 to 135 feet, which. II is
hoped, will stem the FIRE from fur
ther progress down Baltimore and
Blythedale- canyons. Once the can
yons are fairly ablaze, IL would take
superhuman work to save the hatita-
tions at their mouths.