Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-09-25
FIRES IN cB1NArows.

FIRES IN CEINATowN.
At IL o'clock On Saturday large two. story
brick building, owned by W. S. Mesics, on
tina southeast corner Of Fourth end 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 It was evident
from the FIRST that the entire edifce was
doomed to destruction. The whole interior of
the building, which fronts 16O feet on by
100 feet on Fourth street, was honeycombed
with small apartments, the partitions of
which were composed of light lumber, cloth
and paper. In few minutes the flames
shot forth from the Chinese tailor shop. there
the fire originated, into this combustible ma:
terial overhead. The bursting of Chinese
bombs and tie explosion Of coaloil cases
added to the ferceness Of the cophagratiou.
The heat was 20 intense that it drove the
spectators to the opposite side of the street,
while the fremen 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 cen'er of the north
wall fell outward, earring with it the
awning on which were three fremep, who
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 20 gather up, as many sup.
posed, the lifeless remains of the three brave
mer. They were however removed without
much difficulty, and were immediately con.
veyed to houses near BY, where their wants
could be attended to. Surgeons were called
at once to ascertain the extent of their in
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 10 less than hsf an
hour afterwards ready for another falling
wall. Mr.. Mesiek's loss will foot up about
$40, 900. The building YVES insured in the
following companies Liverpool, London and
Globe, $1,000, W. p. Coleman, agent; Penn
sylvsnia Fire Insurance. Company, 50. 600,
l.. G. Chandler, agent; also, So, 600 in the
North American, same agent; Canadian
Union, $1,000. w. G. Felch, agent and
$1,000 in the Union, of San Fran.
cisco, Cadwalader & 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 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 SIS men could approach the building
safely, Chief karcher and 2 squad OF men
set to work to tear down some OF the remain
ing walls, that life might not be endangered
by their possible falling. TIE fire train from
the railroad shops, under the management of
Messrs. Douglass and Halloran, did good ser.
vice by throwing heavy stresm of water on
the tre. On Saturday evening Mr. Mesick,
the owner OF the building destroyed by the
fire, donated each of the FIRE companies $40
for their relief funds and also presented $40
to esch of the injured fremen. Richard
Corsssv, of the Hook and Ladder Company,
was injured considerably by inhalation u hos
air AM smoke. At first it was thought that
his i1juiiss 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 ,ient manner
in which il m snsged the fire.
1t was the remark of all experienced fire.
men who observed the work of the Depart.
ment, that they had witne ised in no fire corps
more daring or greater rapidity of action, or
work better ordered, and tie compliments lie.
slowed upon officers aud men alike were
many, warm and sincere. The scattering of
tho aifrighted Chine e, their frantic efforts TO
save their personal effects, and their reckless
dsshi1g Of goods from the windows were
sources OF much Amusement to the lookers-
on. There was no opportunity for the FIRE.
men, police or citizcns to aid the Chine
much in saving movable property. Ger .is
fire. was rapid, demanding the best energies
of the tireuen and sill who assisted, and the
bni ding was so divided up into small apart
ments, cells and rooms that no one unfamiliar
with the premises could venture in without
grave doubts as to his ability to get safely out
again.
One of the Fire Commissioners called the
attention of a RECORD u MON representative
to the low water pressure from the Holly
water works. stating that il was insufficient
for steamer No. /, located at q hydrant az the
corner Of the alley on the east side of Fourth
street, between | and j. Inquiry was then
made Of the engineer of No. l, who stated
that the pressure was not sufficient for the
capacity Of his engine; that it was but 80
pounds, when it should be 90 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.
sistant engineer at the Holly water works,
who was on duty at the time of the fire, saws
be put on the full GO pounds Of pressure al
lowed by the regulations that had he in.
creased it the water pipes would have been
lie city. Inc main on l.
street is a 20-inch pipe. He does not 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 out on the south side of / street, be-
tween Third and Fourth streets. A few
minutes after the alarm was sounded the ire
department had water on the fire, and soon
extinguished it, as it had not yet reached the
outside of the building. The fire caught in
baEement occupied as a Chinese restaurant,
the occupant claiming that it was caused by
the explosion of a coal oil lamp. The prop.
erty belongs TO George Smith, baggage.mas-
ter ct the Central Pacific depot, and was in
sured for 81 eco, which more than covers his
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 meu 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 TO be flesh
wound.
Yesterday at 6 P. NJ. an alarm of fire was
turned in from box "a, corner of Third and J
streets. 1t was caused by blaze in the rear
room of an opium den on 1 street. 1t was
extinguished by the Chinese before the arrival
OF the Department.