DIVISION TWO — COLONIAL. I 53 



of the ruins ; and they exploded with the heat with low, dull booms, that 

 were still going on at the time of our visit, twelve hours after the fire." 



A NOTABLE ARROYO FIRE. 



The Union of October 9, 1885, reported : 



"A fire started in the Arroyo Saturday morning. 3rd inst., by the care- 

 lessness of parties living in the Arroyo below Wallace's, and spread thence 

 up the Arroyo, carrying destruction in its wake. It extended up as far as 

 Devil's Gate and above, killing timber and destroying some of the flumes 

 and trestle work of the water companies. It also spread up the mountain 

 side, burning over most of Mr. Yocum's timber land, and miles of the 

 adjacent mountains, including the water-bearing lands of Painter & Ball, 

 and others. The loss amounts to thousands of dollars, and includes, be- 

 sides growing timber, much wood already cut, among which are thirtj^ cords 

 belonging to J. W. Wilson, and fifteen cords of Painter & Ball's. The dam- 

 age to growing timber is immense, and the resultant effects upon the water 

 supply is still more serious. J. D. Yocum lost $200 worth of cord- wood b}^ 

 the fire, besides much standing timber ; his total loss estimated over $1,000. 

 It came within ten rods of his dwelling, and had to be fought off his build- 

 ings. ' ' 



CHINAMEN MOBBED. 



In 1885 there was a Chinese wash-house on Fair Oaks Avenue below 

 Colorado street, in a rough board building owned by Jacob Hisej^ ; and one 

 or two houses back of it on Mills street, owned by A. F. Mills, were rented 

 to Chinamen for a store, employment office, lodging-rooms, etc. There 

 were then a great many transient day-laborers in Pasadena, and a good deal 

 of rough talk was indulged in against Chinamen. During the evening of 

 November 6, a large number of men and boys were loafing, smoking, and 

 talking "Chinaman" along the street in front of the wash-house. Three 

 or four Chinamen were at work ironing, with kerosene lamps for light. 

 Finally two of the crowd outside threw stones in at the door or window, one 

 of which hit an ironer at his work, and one struck a lamp, breaking it. The 

 oil was thus spattered over the clothes piled up on the ironing table, and in- 

 stantly the room was all ablaze with flame. The Chinamen fled for their 

 lives out the back way to Mills street, being pursued by a mob hurling 

 stones and sticks and vile imprecations after them. The building was then 

 looted from the rear before the flames got entire control ; and threats were 

 freely made of setting fire to the Mills street building also, into which the 

 Chinamen had fled for refuge and locked the doors and windows. Demand 

 was made that every Chinaman in town should leave that night or be hung ; 

 and some even began trying to tear down the buildings they were in, so as to 

 get at them. For the rest of the story I here quote from the Union of 

 November 13: 



"After the fire, November 6, a number of men and boys went to the 

 China houses on Mills street, and considerable talk was made of raiding 

 them, but cooler-headed citizens succeeded in quieting the crowd and in 

 giving the Chinese twenty-four hours to leave town. Chief among those 



