Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-09-25
FIRES IN cHINATowE.

SfSh3o lN S1iNa1SH
At II o'clock on Saturday large two.story
brick building, owned by w. S. A1esiok. on
the southeast corner of Fourth and streets,
in this city. was discovered to be on fire.
The alarm was turned in from box 80. The
Fire Department responded promptly. and,
in few minutes four streams were playing
on the burning building. 1t was evident
from the FIRST that the entire edifce was
doomed to destruction. The whole interior of
the building, which fronts 160 feet on 1 by
100 feet on Fourth street, was honeycombed
with small apartments, the partitions of
which were composed of light lumber, cloth
and paper. In q few minutes the flames
shot forth from the Chinese tailor shop. where
the fire originated, into this combustible ma:
terial overhead. The bursting of Chinese
bombs and tie explosion Of coal. oil cases
added to the ferceness Of the cophsgration.
TIE heat was 20 intense that it drove the
spectators to the opposite side of the street,
while the hrem5n from time to time were
compelled to turn the hose on themselves, so
that they might be enabled to stand at their
posts and contend with the flames. At
ll:43 o'clock the center of the north
wall fell outward, earring with it the
awning Oh WHICH Wcl5 three lremen. VINO
were partially buried beneath the falling de-
bris. The multitude that looked on gazed
for moment in breathless suspense and
hundreds made dash forward amidst the
falling fragments to gather up, as many sup.
posed, the lifeless remains of the three brave
mer. They were however removed withou.
much difficulty, and were immediately con.
veyed to houses near BY, where their wants
could be attended to. Surgsons were called
-, rEasr tha liant 81 ha,. =,
juries. The names of the three men are Rob-
ert Hunt Charles Gillespie and Henry
Viscar. Hunt had shoulder dislocated and
the other two escaped with slight bruises.
Gillespie was at his post in less than hsf an
hour afterwards ready for another falling
wall. Mr.. Mesiek's loss will foot up about
$50, 600. The building was insured in the
following companies: Liverpool, London and
Globe, s., 600, W. p. Coleman, agent; Penn
sylvania Fire Insurance. Company, So. OOO
l.. G. Chandler, agent; also, $1,000 in the
North American. same agent; Canadian
Union, 81, 900, w. G.. Felch, agent and
$1,000 in the Union, of San Fran
cisco, Cadsalader & Parsons, agents
Up to the present it has been i'm
possible to estimate the loss sustained by
the Chinese dealers who were occupants of
the building. At l o'clock the FIRE was under
complete control. A number OF buildings
adjoining were endangered at different times,
but by careful management they were saved.
As soon IS men could approach the building
safely, Chief karcher and q 6quad OF men
set to work to tear down some OF the remain.
ing walls, that lifa might not be endangered
by their possible falling. TIE fro train from
the railroad shops, under the management of
Messrs. Douglass and Halloran, did good ser.
vice by throwing heavy stream of water on
the hre. On Saturday evening Mr. Mesick,
the owner of the building destroyed by the
fire, donated each of the FIRE companies $50
for their relief funds, and also presented $50
to esch of the injured fremen. Richard
CorssSR, Of the Hook and Ladder Company,
was injured considerably by inhalation Of hot
air an smoke. AT first it was thought that
bis idjuIies were serious, but yesterday he
had greatly improved and was considered out
of danger. The entire Fire Department de-
serve praise for the able aud eff cient manner
10 which il managed the fire.
1t was the remark of all experienced fire.
men who observed the work of the Depart.
u,ent that they had witne Jsed in no fire corps
more daring or greater rapidity of action, or
work better ordered, and the compliments lie.
slowed upon officers and men alike were
many. warm and sincere. The scattering of
the atfrighted Chine e, their frantic efforts to
save their personal effects, and their reckless
dashi1g OF goods from tie windows were
sources OF much amusement to the lookers-
on. There was no opportunity for the fire.
men, police or citiZSns to aid the Chine
much in saving movable property, Ger Gba
FIRE was rapid, demanding the best energies
of the fireUen and all who assisted, and the
bui dug was 30 divided up into small apart
ments, cells and rooms that no one unsamilisr
with the premises could venture in without
grave doubts as to his ability to get safely ont
again,
One of the Fire Commissioners called the
attention OF RECORD q MON representative
to the low water pressure from the Holly
water works, stating that it was Insult cient
for steamer No. /, located at hydrant az the
corner Of the alley on the east side of Fourth
street, between l and j. Inquiry was then
made Of the engineer of No. l, who stated
that the pressure was not sufi.i for the
capacity of his engine; that it was but 30
pounds, when it should be 80. This was after
the fire had been burning for three-quarters
OF an hour. Notice was also taken of the
hydrant streams and none were seen to throw
water with desired force, or go as to be as
effective as they should have been. The as.
sstant engineer at the Holly water works,
who was on duty at the time of the fire. says
be put on the fu!! 60 pounds Of pressure al
lowed by the regulations that had he in.
creased it the water pipes would have been
broken throughout the city. The main on /
street is a 20-nCh pipe. He does rot know
why the engines received so little supply, but
suggests that possibly the main may be
clogged with mud. The "Stevens" pump
was used. he says, during the fire, and not the
Holly"
Saturday night at u midnight another fire
broke ont on the south side of / street, be-
tween Third and Fourth streets. A few
minutes after the alarm was sounded the fire
department had water on the fire, and soon
extiuguished it. as it had not yet reached the
outside Of the building. The fire caught in
basement occupied as Chinese restaurant.
! the occupant claiming that it was caused by
the explosion of coal oil lamp. The prop.
erty belongs to George Smith, baggage.mas-
ter ct the Central Pacific depot, and was in.
sured for 81 GEO, which more than covers hia
loss. The excitement among the Celestial
residents of that vicinity WAS augmented,
perhaps, by the forenoon FIRE. In
tearing up the sidewalk to get a
stream Of water into the basement,
| Gillespie, one of the men injured by the fall
| ing of the wall at the forenoon fire, received
| a severe cut on the hand from an ak in the
hands of another fireman. Upon a surgical
examination it proved only 10 be flesh
| wound.
Yesterday at P. NJ. an alarm of fire was
turned in from box "a, corner of Third and
streets. 1t was caused by blaze in the rear
room of an opium den on | street. 1t was
extinguished by the Chinese before the arrival
OF the Department.