FIRES AND GALE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22711, 25 October 1935, Page 9

FIRES AND GALE

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SWEPT A TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LOS ANGELES, October 23. (Received Oct. 24, at 10 p.m.) Fire and gale wrought damage estimated at more than 4,000,000 dollars in Southern California. No deaths have been reported, but it is not known whether everyone has been accounted for. In the Malibu area hundreds of cattle are believed to have perished. Four bush fires raged through outlying areas and even licked the fringes of suburbs for a lime. Los Angeles Harbour was grey with dust whipped up by winds of 45 to 50 miles an hour. In one case the wind reached 75 miles an hour. Ships stood out to sea for several hours rather than venture iu the harbour. More than 200 of 2000 men who were lighting the flames were treated for injuries. Sami was lashed iu from the desert, threatening to block the transcontinental rail service over Cajon Pass. A Union Pacific crew shovelled hard to keep the tracks clear. Three highways were closed because of fires. The most destructive blaze was in the foothill regions below Mount Lowe and Mount Wilson. Two score residences in the fashionable foothills districts and canyons from Altardena to Flint Ridge, where millionaires dwell, were burned. A sanatorium at Lavina was burned a few minutes after more than 100 patients had been taken to safety at Pasadena and Los Angeles. This fire was checked after 11 hours. A second fire in the Malibu district is raging out of control through the 100,000-acre Malibu Beach. The mountain home of Charles Farrell, the movie actor, was destroyed. Charles (Chic) Sale, the movie actor, with bis wife and two sons, were marooned in a circle of (laming bush. They wrapped coats about their heads and plunged through the fire to safety. A third fire raged in Orange County and a fourth to the north in Kagel Canyon. Orchards suffered and oil derricks toppled.