The Raymer enterprise., 1923-09-20
FLAMES SWEEP
BERKELEY HOMES
FIVE HUNDRED HOUSES ARE De.
sTRoYEo-Loss REACHES
MILLIONS
DYNAMITE HATS FIRE
elxTY BLOCKS OF CALIFORNIA
CITY DEvAsTATEp-scHooL
BUILDINGS SAVED

BUILDINGS SAVED
Berkeley, Calif-Fire, sweeping over
the hills east Of Berkeley. laid waste
to the Cragmont and Euclid avenue
districts. destroying at least 800 resi-
dences within an area estimated at
sixty blocks In extent, and causing
millions Of dollars in destruction In
one Of the choicest residential sectlt is
Of the city. Dynamite was resorted to
In attempts to check the flames
No lives are known to have been
lost, although two students were seen
to plunge into vortey Of fire when
the roof Of house upon which they
had climbed, collapsed.
Hundreds Of frenxled residents fled
from the burning areas as the fire
swept down the slope Of the hills,
burned Its way through the closely
settled district and eventually died
down to a smoldering ring Of flams
encompassing the entire area which 1t
had devastated. The prosperous resl-
dentlal section was smoky waste.
The advance OF the fire, which broks
out In brush In Contra Costa county,
was heralded by ugly gray clouds Of
smoke which swept over the brow Of
the hill, driven by brisk wind and
blanketed the city Of Berkeley through
out the morning and early afternoon.
Soon the flames had reached the
crest Of the ridge upon the eastern
slope Of which resided many Of Berke-
ley's wealthiest citizens. A host of vol
unteer fire fighters attempted to ex-
tinguish the flames but q high wind
sweeping toward them hampered their
efforts and they made little headway.
Within an hour the confagration
had eaten Its way into the outer fringe
Of exclusive homes on the hillside and
was spreading In three directions,
wreaking havoc as 1t advanced.
The Bergman reservoir district was
completely wiped out and the flames
progressed down the slope toward the
bay, and north toward the University
Of California.
Householders, whose homes were
threatened by the flames, made des-
perate attempts to prevent their resi-
dences catching fire, but their efforts
proved unavailing until the fire at last
was gotten under control.
As the flames progressed and It be-
came certain that vast destruction
probably would result unless they
were checked, hurry calls were sent
out for volunteers to fight the fire and
all available fire fighting apparatus in
Berkeley, Oakland and nearby cities
was mobllized and hurried to the scene
Of the. conflagration.
For four hours, between 9 o'clock
and G o'clock in the afternoon, the
flames ragged virtually unchecked
despite the efforts of several hundred
firemen and volunteers and scores OF
householders, many Of whom stuck to
their posts with garden hose or buck
cts, striving valnly to halt the fires
attack on their homes, until they were
driven away by the encroaching
flames.
On Hearst avenue, firemen used
dynamite to check the flames that had
approached almost within striking dis
tance Of the residence Of the president
Of the University Of California on the
schools campus.
The ruined area was known as the
most beautiful district in Berkeley.
Many fraternity and sorority houses
Of the University Of California were
destroyed. a. were homes of several
Instructors. although the institutions
structures themselves were not
harmed. Hundreds Of university men
engaged In the fight to check the
flames.
The utmost confusion reigned In the
fire zone and In the district for blocks
surrounding that was laid waste BY
the flames.