, 1923-09-18
CONTINUED From Page one)

NSotAtiliucd fioHi oep OAcJ
cities, and volunteers who fought
vainly to extinguish them.
Dynamite. with which tho fire
fighters ripped away n fire break
on the northeast, served to check
the spread of the conflagration in
that direction, but 1t was not until
the wind subsidized into . gentle
breeze shortly after 7 o'clock that
the rapid advance Of the fire was
checked and the danger of further
destruction averted.
Nearly a dozen persons were
treated at hospitals n infirmaries
in Berkeley for minor injuries and
burns, resulting from their attempts
to rescue household goods from
homes menaced by the flames. but
none of the cases was considered
serious.
In a statement issued at midnight
mayor Frank D. ~stringham declared
that a proper water service and
supply probably would have avsrted
the disaster.
The catastrophe had been long
feared by the city, he said, owing to
inadequate water mains.
1--WE shall meet the situation" he
declared. 1--WE will give relief
where 1t is needed and begin the
slow process of reconstruction with
courage. Definite steps have al
ready been taken to obtain unbiased
and expert advise looking 10 III
solution of the water question with
respect to tine better fire protection"
Every relief facility in Berkeley,
Oakland, Richmond. ~Pie5n.ont. En-
oryviile, Alane1a. Albany and San
Francisco. needed in the emergency
created by the conflagration at Ber-
beley last night was modified with
in the brief space of a few hours
after the full extent of the disaster
which had wrought havoc in the
city became known.
with the city hall az headquarters
Police Chief C. d. Lee Immediately
modified a force Of several hun
dred deputies. including hundreds
of University of California students
who assisted in policing the devas-
tated zone, removing household
goods, and fighting at least two
small fires Which were reported to
have broken out after the large
conflagration was placed under
control.
Patrolmen from Oakland and sur
rounding bay cities were rushed to
Berkeley, 100 soldiers from Fort
Scott were entrained Immediately
and arrived at the scene of the fire
at 8 o'clock. and several hundred
volunteers were assigned to posts
around the edge of the fire zone.
At the same time the Red Cross,
the Salvation Army and other relief
organizations flocked to the assist.
ance of the victims of the fire. Quart
ers were provided for the homeless 50
quickly that scores who offered their
had been housed.
Women OF Berkeley rushed to the
city hall and to the fire zone with
steaming pots of coffee and sand
witches and cared for the fire fighters
and the men who were directing the
constant stream of traffic which
swarmed along the roads in the
vicinity.
When darkness fen last night
Berkeley virtually was an armed
camp. with 700 soldiers of the reg,
ular army and the national guard or
duty. A solid Gordon Of armed men
surrounded the burned aren with
orders to shoot TO kill any hooters
Only a fow scattered instances OF
looting were reported, police firing
at suspects in one instance. although
no n was struck by the shots, SC
a as is known.
Scenes of tho widest confusion
followed the first destructive blast
which swept through the fire zone
In a frenzy of terror women seized
such personal belongings as they
could carry and fled from Their
homes down streets which, in some
instances. already Ind been convert
ed into blazing lanes by the fiyins
sparks which had set fire to the
waving eucalyptus trees which lined
both sides OF almost every street In
the vicinity. Hurried calls went out
for automobile trucks. as residents
of the district saw the flames Greer
closer TO their homes, and great var
loads Of nlSZ:tafs were -EseZse
through tho already ~congested street,
to places of safety. Others. less for
innate and unable TO obtain convey
anoes. piled their household good
In the street or on the spacious
lawns, hoping to be able to move
them before the flames reached
them. Late last night. smoulderinr
heaps in the roadways bore mute
testimony OF how vain their hone
was.
Hundreds Of home wne climbed
TO the roofs Of their homes witt
garden hose and sprinkled tho