University of California • Berkeley





September 17. 1923
*JÈi»i ■ 111—W¡	WS.
I I ■' II ■ I Hi ■ y, I :; .v V i ■	■& * « *. ■THE BERKELEY FIRE
Dedicated to the people of Berkeley who have proved themselves great hearted
in giving, courageous in losing, and clear eyed in
building toward a safer future♦
Compiled by AUBREY BOYD
Engravings by Langer Litho and Engraving Co., San Francisco
Published by GEORGE E. RUSSELL, Aero-Photographer, San Francisco
and THE CAMERA SHOP, Berkeley
COPYRIGHT APPLIED FOR

iiteàii
m
$\
¡SH
0
GynK*?viii4S?' ¿i r±*
• 'SKJk&'J* ■$&&?■- *■■&-	*"• - r wt »■!
4 ¿CCKsSBI^F^
dgy ^	• •	• - v ?sj
t> Sal rv^3
j^9Mm^£i 1&^mv,^
iapii

#	^^asHKEK^
HPl® * -'l^ffl^iPBa&aAQ^ ■er^s^ffmSmy
PBSS?. ^»1^';'*" :;>:'^y^iffer
fm.


Aerial photograph of the region of the Berkeley fire.	Copyright, 1923, by Ci<jffi(a=fiEjEj^^H
Taken by airplane from above Rose and Grove Streets, on September 17.
while the embers ivere still smoking.
H


SQUARE mile of charred
spreading from Cragmont to thc^p^g
of the University grounds, tells the\
story. ' 'No zvords could convey more
eloquently the power of the torrent of
flame which demolished in a fezv short
hours on September ij, 1923 one of the most beautiful
residence tracts of Berkeley, destroyed $10,000,000
worth of property and deprived four thousand' citizens
mf their homes'. But even these crumbling remnants
will soon disappear. Already the hammers of the
rebuilders a$$ ringing cheerfully among the ruins, clear-
ing the ground for new dwelling^ The scene of desola-
tion will soon be a fading memory—which is as it
should be, provided the calamity that wrought it is
not so completely forgotten as to make its recurrence
possible.
The glimpses contained in these pages are not offered
as a reminder of loss} but as a remembrance of the
Berkeley that was, a record of certain aspects of the
city that will be altered forever in the rebuilding, and an
impression of a fire which, in its swiftness of destruction,
was probably one of the most remarkable in history and
certainly one of the most instructive.
On th^^mening of the 16th, after a long period
of dry weather, a strong north wind—always a wind
of bad augury for Berkeley at this season of the year—-
sprang up suddenly and steadily increased in force. With
it came reports of destructive forest fires to the north
and east.
All through the night the hot gale szvept across
the city, dry as ashes and laden with a murky fragrance
like incensM People fell asleep listening to the rustle
of the dried leaves that scurried endlessly along the
empty streets—unheeded messengers of disaster. Under
the clear moon the air zvas more comfortable than any
night air should be, and the next day dazvned in a
dewless mist that had none of the keen freshness of a
September morning, though the wind was strong enough
to carry the chill of distant snows.
At noon the sun seemed to have receded to a point
higher in the sky than usual, and the streets and houses
were bathed in that pecidiar amber light which gives
one, during an eclipse, a sense of having been transferred
*!* 11	P'	I
r ,


ilitóStóÈiÉii


Photos by the Camera Shoffland the Oakland Tribune.
Under fire


pi»»»«
mm

rnì |	{O
i	

iMÉBÉttÉMiiiiii T rihiiffto another region of space. It was only this strange
light that betrayed the opaqueness of the haze that had
drifted over the city.
; When the catastrophe did come, it burst with such
unimagined abruptness that the fire, leaping from Wild-
cat Canyon into Cragmont and frmi there to the
nWghborhood of the R^wrvoir had already cut a
through several st^mts before the alarm became
general. PeQj^^gBre talkingmMually about forest fires
in the interior when n^Ls came of tnVbla:^k threatening
Mills College and Leona Heights abovVEast Oakland;
and they were still talking of thismwhen they saw the
long vicious tongues of flame coiling into the very heart
of their own city, and stood appalled before a t®Svering
billow of smoke that poured heavenward like the reek
of some gigantic altar in Biblical story.
The sun swam as a diminished ball of blood behind
the streaming veil of smoke. From the region of the
fire came a roar like that Hf a great cataractUabove
which the shriek of the sirens and the clamor of bells,
as thSfire fighters rushed to meet thminvading ranks
of flame, seemed strangely remofVand dim.
The fire departments of threUcities did everything
that human skill and daring can do after such a fire
has gained headway. The water supply may have been
inadequate, but rivers of water could have been poured
into that blaze without deterring it. Lashed forward
by the wind, the flames flattened to the ground and
spread laterally, every blaze becoming a torch to the
adjoining region, and scattering itlVhot embers and
ashes for miles. Nails in the Iw^gs in the path of the
fire melted before they zvere touched; buildings seemed
to explode and founder in an instantaneous dissolution.
Here y%(as a test that spoke volumes for the character
of Berkeley's citizenship. As the firemen retired foot
by fool before the advancing flood, dynamiting as they
went, an impromptu but efficient organization of relief
workers and special police looked to the comfort and
safety of the refugees, who, for their part, met the crisis
with great fortitudM Children were gathered out of
harm's way, and the aged and infirm were removed from
danger without injury or loss of life—a truly remarkable
achievement in view of the speed of the catastrophe.
Within a very brief time after the outbreak of the fire
arrangements had been made for the accommodation of
the thousandWmiose property and personal effects had
bKi totally destroyed.
It would bUhard, indeed, to imagine anything more
impressive than the intelligence, energy and co-ordination
of effort shown by every individual and organizationAirpìaile^Viciv of burned areaClookiiuj soullicastffroin above Rose Terrcujjm
UniÆrsitdL Campus aiidâtâihdiuiii in back^w^mm
CopyrigSB 1923, liy George E. Russell.
BaMMinM

' WM"""7TT 't>tsrT	^	^ *y y^gfy”>T^
I iiL hi ^IL.. itL.*/fo^\kY.4^.ia.‘i'fr,>A,'Sil-«i r . ,t.^^Mi^Mt*SiiAMi^f>.J.I>ui. Siifcc.
T*rvryr> * w ■ ywww i"»w^ w» *»"* - «
IjJuafcLaahi.-J-.'a ^aa?k»L.J«t «J*g_kiijAj[t.j
Hfc..P.JliaAftjj> £*.< H>«n < ,t
T f ^jl'1 (^	j,'
rjfconcerned in this defense. If thFioars of the futurm as
William James predicted, are to he contests between man
and nature, Berkeley should he able to contribute more
than her share of veterans to the front lines of the human
army-—though in this case nature had the bmt of it, as
it was only a fortunate change in the wind after the
flames had reached the Wery edge of the business center
that saved the city from destruction.
No conflagratimi, mtrhaps^ms ever mor^^mmpletely
out of control; none ever demonstrated more vividly its
power to «/)/ all the d^mns^^^tesourc^^^t human
Wcience once it had gained heaMvaty, and in the last
mStfvas extinguished only by an ¿z|| of providence. Thm
malamity has thrown a^^vid light on	to
which a communim of capafm and self-am)endent citi-
zens seems particularly liable: a tend^^Mto rely on ms
organized human p^^m- of coping cmhUmerml^^^Mas
they come, instead of taking U^phanded fSfmutionm
Strainst them. Thus, if you have an^^meqt fire depart-
nient and a dependable body of hcmsehomeiA as B4$keley
has, you are apt to bemrss careful than you might 'other-
wise be about fire prevention and pnhection. One is
reminded of the property owner in the Berkeley fire area
who omitted to protect himself against loss by fire
because there was a fire station opposite his house. This
may help explain Berkeley’s belated provision against
fire hazards, the inadequate insurance carried by residents
in the area that was burned, and the remarkable
assurance of her citizens in the face of a long-standing
menace to the security of the town. These defects are
being quickly remedied, but to ignore them is to lose
the most valuable asset that can be salvaged from the
wreckage.
The protection of the city against future fires presents
many angles of intemstmsome of which are indicated in
the comments on page 14. Differences of opinion as to
method are less important than the fact that there is
unan^kous agreement regarding the; central purpose. It
is safe B say that evem possible safeguard will be made
against a remLrrenc^m)f this disaster, which, in respect
to material damages at least, must be numbered among
the mqst destrffmive fires of modern times.



Copyright, 1923/fc$;jÄlief^amera ShoB
To the Might—
. The same view after the^pkmes had pasg$d.
hot only are the homes eoi^Êetely wiped |!§M
p|f/ as most of them zee re inadéquat ely pro-
wfr'ted by insurance or not at all, the btM tJAc
and occupants zeas ruinous. By receiI
"estimates not more than tzeo-fijMs of the totkl
values destroyed in the fire wefç insured.
J^EKQRE mjBI) AF&M
To th^mTeft—
A vista of homes in N orl^^rkdcx as they
appeared from Le Conte hill before' the fimI
//- hfpi this’pp? only a section of the district
burned, it	some impr^^M of the exteW*
of the lomreprMuted^^e ruins. The view
is east, across Virginia Street, livery house
hUliis area was reduced to ashes.
William Blewett.
A diagonal airplane view from above the corner of Oxford Street	Copyright, 1923, by George
and Hcarst Avenue, at the edge wE&e University grounds. The half
Iooirai11icKj^^^^mlioleiI foreground.


'¿.A# \

Photos by the
3 —Lookm^L soddJieast from Delaware, above Shat tuck.
near Smena Vista.
1—	Northern end of Le&jmhe
2—	Rains of Hwntp^ Home.

Photos by the
2—	Looking west from head of Cedar Street.
3—	Southmsfcfrom 11'almfMqnd Lfirginm.
4—	West frm^lCeii^r^treet Hill.
Fhtt9HG. E. Ferri ter.
ile through the ruins.
THE OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE
Frank D. Striiujhavi, Mayor o ^Berkeley—
“The municipal goverHient of Berkeley, through its various
departments, is bending every effort to rebHd the burn^Birea, and
K^Po direct and regulat^^^Hruction that the tire hazard will be
reduced, the traffic ^^^^HnproHd, Hid He uses of property better
adapted to loca^^^HrofdiH to ;HiinHprinciples.”
Charles Keeler, Directo^^Bkel<|y Ch^^Hr of ^^fflmerce-^M
“No amount of water would have ^^BedHo put out this fire
onceMt got well under way. Grade roHs bordered with fire breaks,
^H^hing the entire Hngth of the lfl aHfi^are the first and mffl
BrnWriant safeguard. oH oSHhese roads should H along the crest
QlUfhe hills as an (Her line of de^HB|§ Two motc^^Bd^^^H
fire |Bhting tools and a small force of men, stationed to He north
and south ends of thi^^^^^BHH reach any Hrtion of it H time
tcHfrest an invacHg hill fireHThe Hcles of tras road
open with a background	trHn
“A second line of dHns^^Buld add greatly to the secHty of
the entire city.	in tJ^Horm of a foothill l^^Hvard,
prodding north from ^^^Hont Avenue, H^Bd^^Bhrough the
[University Grounds beti^en the Stadium and Greek Theatre,
¡^Altering the north section at HiedHHe*HhH. ‘ -If would connect
with Keith Avenue and Hke a belt of safety along the foothill
gijFThe opportunity is also now^at hand to secuH a diagonal
street from the businesHceHr to the^^Bhern hill district, thus
providing better communicHon for ;$Elat section and making
anbflftr tire break along this lH.
“Half measures of protection \vm not servH It iH. time when
courage, unselfishness and civic interest must be weighed Haigst
Efhmediate personal desires. San Francisco had a similar oppor-
tunity in 1906 and failed to take advantage of it. Let Berkeley
citizens prove themselves men and women of vision who dare to
face their problems in a big way and to build tor the future and
a'P^d the mistakes of the past.”
E. E. Stephenson, Secretary Berkeley Realty Board—
“Next to the blessing that there was no loss H life in the
HBible .fy^that wiped out practically a quarter of our beautiful
city, stands out thfBfejBHbssejri brdfeht h|jM to us the loss,
absolute wadret of many millions of lol^^BocHsioned ELy th®jl
who were burned out being un<hj-insured.”
CemM Aronoriei, City Manager of Berkeley—
TlH Berkeley fire, which consumed considerably 6‘vFpj 600
hom^^^H undoubtedly a very serious loss, both from the point of
viewH^ buildings, and their contents. Perhaps the works of anHnd
libraries contained in th<H buildings equal, if they do ndt surpass.
inHalue, the actual buildings desHyed by the fire.
It is my profound Hnviction that if properly replanned and
HbiH, the fH losses due to the destruction of the buildingHmuldl
be mjore than made up by theHnhancement of values due to this!
^^HnstriHion. It is a rather astonishing and pleasing fatal that
thHe affected by the disaster were, at a time of the greatest excite-,
ment, quite willing to rebuild along the best lines. Then a re^gon
set H due to calm realization of what was supposed to be irre-.*
placeable damage. After iHd weekHfrom the time of theimre^hel
property oHiers Hve aHin come to feel that the most advanced
aiH m^^^^^^^Bsi’\Hmetl10(H replanning and rebuilding should
the district, and while a demand was at first made for
of control of the	now turned toward a desire
m^^BlfHngent zoning, more uniform set back lines, bH^
arrangement of streets, Hd a m^^Bxtensive control of the ^^H
of buildings H be coHtructed.
Prof. Edwin A. Eee, ChairmH Citizens’ Rehabilitation Committ^H
“The fire which devastated H? hill secH311 °f Berkeleya^^^B
sumif£f everything but the spirit of those who lived the^B Tl^B
spirit will H^uild around the hearthstones everywhere in ^dq^^H
Hrthe biH^d area—typifying the home life that abounded theraS^B
new city oiMhomes. Nothing can change the essential character of
that section.”
Lieut.-Col. IV. E. Gilmorv, Air Officer, Ninth Corps Area—
“It is worth the while of every modern community to consfaer
the possibilities of the airplane, both in the detection and prevention
of fires. An air patrol would H °f very great service to themH^
department of a city like Berkeley, which has a ' background^ofjHH
and forest region where observation from the groundyjjgs difficult
and where serious fires can gain ground before they aref detafled.
The airplane has proved its value in directing the ground amroR
over a widespread area of flames, and the near fuliuM' ^^BlgHll
employed as a .to the speed with
K|i2M|H9Bu^dr^^BhemiMj^and extinguishing gases intHHg&hrJ
of a fire,that ha^^Bome^icontro^iI^^fe^^^^^^®le in othepf^^Hmm I DQ
^ITn A
$ ppR
*	SShm
•	Ik»*-
i if
!- %m *^|§
iaMi
m
tf/M?
s»#“

H 4 R®
HJiCAZP


aL/wAt*.
min....
M^SVc/zcw of an aero-photographic map of Berkeley made before the fire.
The dotted line shows the boundaries of the burned area and outlines
buildings within it which escaped burning.
Copyright, 1923, by (ieorgeE. Russell.


#OS£
tm
iiWPü "
""-f	''	■■

MWPilW^W^W

'■JüJ-.'Zi
WÉM

M ihi
m
üi
WM|
¡Sil

.uffij*
LEDERER, STREET & ZEUS CO., PRINTERS, BERKELEY, CALIF


WWWWWWf^:

(WiwwSPW- }
sËiMÊâiÊÊÈÈÊâÊiÊÈ^
iäiiiitt
			11
m			-.........................................................................- - ■■






a






C106909065