Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-06-25
WHO WAS TO BLAME?
MORE TESTIMONY REGARDING
THE PHOENIX MILL FIRE.
Schroth & Co. Want to be Reim-
bursed for their LOsS-NumerouS
Witnesses Testify.

bursed for their Loss-Numerous
Witnesses Testify.
| Ever since the disastrous contagratlon OF
Monday morning. June 18th, which con-
sumed the Phoenix Mill property on the
southeast corner of Thirteenth and streets,
the cause of the alleged scarcity of water
on that occasion has been general topic of
conversation among citizens generally, and
particularly so of underwriters and the
owners of buildings. The matter was
taken up by the Board of Trustees,
who had all the employees before them,
and asked them to explain, If posi-
Bile, the causes which led to the scarcity
of water complained of. Mr. Wiliiams,
the engineer on duty at the time of
the fire, and his fireman, Mr.. Longabaugh,
both claimed that when the alarm came in
the ordinary domestic water pressure OF
| thirty-five pounds was on, and they had
seventy-five pounds of steam. In less than
| two minutes the throttle was opened and
| the Holly pump Immediately gave a water
pressure of fifty pounds. Here the Holly
seemed to hang. Mr. Williams knocked
out one of the Holly pumps, thinking that
by giving the remaining three more speed
| the pressure could be raised About eight
or ten minutes after the alarm was sounded
Mr.. Foster the chief engineer, came in.
Thinking
THE HOLLY HARDLY SUFFICIENT,
He ordered the Stevens pump to be started
up. This was done Immediately, and at
its first revolution sent the pressure to
sixty-fve pounds. This is about the state
ment of all those connected with the water
works.
On the other hand, the owners of the
property destroyed, those who witnessed
the confiagration and the firemen say al
most unanimously that the water pressure
was insufficient, and at the early stage of
the fire no pressure to speak of at all.
The Citizens Committee took the matter
up, and had a test a few days afterwards
from the
SAME PLUGS USED AT THE FIRE.
Fully 900 people were upon the ground
during the test made by the fire depart
ment under the direction of the Citizens
Committee-Messrs. G. w. Carey, Rudolph
Wittenbrock and Thomas B. Hall Their
report, which was published III full in this
paper, concluded as follows We find it
difficult to make ourselves believe other
than if the engines at the water works were
running with only thirty five pounds press
ure, that there should have been a better
supply of water at the time the fire broke
out than eye-WitneSSeS state. From these
tests made to-day, aside from the tests made
by your committee last year, we firmly be-
lieve in and have every confidence in the
capacity of the water works to furnish our
piti tiat
ton. Therefore, we conclude that in this
instance the cause of the insufficiency of
water supply is directly chargeable to some
neglect or carelessness at the water works.
Your committee here recommend that your
association take steps to and do confer with
the Superintendent of the water works, as
to the ACCESSIBILITY of never allowing the
water pressure at the water works to fall
below thirty-five day or night"
All the statements that had been taken
by the Board of Trustees up to yesterday
had been rather informally done, and the
Trustees deemed it advisable to subpoena
those who knew, or should know, some
thing in regard to the matter, and have
item testify under oath AT 10 A. NJ. yes
terday all the Trustees were in their seats,
and the room well filled with spectators
Mr. Williams had ordered several persons
subpenaed, and they were called, examined
by him, afterward by members of the
Board Mr.. Arnold apd others.
j. Mckee, an engineer at the Electric
Works on Sixth street, said at 1870 o'clock
there was an abundance of water. He went
home at that time, and could plainly see
the fire from his home, Eleventh and Z.
He did not know whether the fire pressure
was on or not. But very little pressure
gave him all the water he wanted. He OBJ
,-,l ,nlo, tl,a l,of
night.
Robert Cook, an employee at the same
place, said he noticed the fire pressure inn
mediately after the alarm. 1t was so
strong that it necessitated his making
change in pump at that place which is
connected directly with the main. On
cross examination he said steam might
creased the speed of the pamp, but he
was of the opinion that it was the fire
pressure on the water main.
James II. Aiken, another engineer at the
same institution, testified to the fact that
the valves of the pump mentioned have
always to be regulated when the fire pres
sure is put on
The next witness was q son OF LOUIS
Nicolaus, who resides at Nineteenth and J
streets. He was awakened some time after
the alarm, and went to his fathers brewery,
on the corner of Twelfth and | streets. He
did not know how long it was after the
alarm, but he found good pressure at the
brewery on his aTival-sufficient to throw
WATER ON TOP OF THE BUILDING.
Policeman Farrell said he was at Seventh
and J streets when the alarm was sounded.
He ran as fast as possible and arrived at
the burning building about five minutes
after the alarm. The big mill was not
then on fire. The water pressure was the
poorest he ever saw at n fire, and he is at
most of them. The streams were no ac-
count at all.
John Watt, who lives about half block
distant, on Thirteenth street between ! and
J, was the next witness. He used his gar
den hose attached TO 4 hydrant in his yard
about twenty minutes after the fire broke
out and found good fire pressure. Could
throw stream over the top of his house.
Did not use the hose until the roof of the
big mill was blazing. An engine stood in
front of his house some time before they
were able to get stream, at least that is
what the firemen told him. At his place
he can throw water 40 feet any time when
the domestic pressure was on of 80 pounds.
The engines had plenty Of steam up but
COULD THROW NO STREAM,
And the property was almost burned down
|
the supply of water.
Henry Wittpen stated that be lived in
the same block with Mr.. Watt. and was at
the fire Immediately after the first alarm.
He described the pressure as being quite
poor.
Jos. H. Arnold, one of the partners in the
ownership of the burned property, was the
next to testify. He made the same statement
he did on the 18th, and which was at that
time published in this paper. He was I'M
alterably of the opinion that if the supply at
the mill on the night of the fire had been
the domestic pressure of thirty-five pounds
his Waterman, his drayman and himself
could have saved the property without the
aid of the Fire Department. He was Of the
impression that the fire was incendiary.
John Lyman, an assistant of the City
Taper, and an extra man in the Fire De-
partment, says he has examined the gates
between ] and X, AT Eleventh, Twelfth and
Thirteenth streets, twice since the fire, and
found them to be fully open and working
we'll
NJ. OMeara, Assistant Chief Engineer of
the Fire Department, said he and the Chief
were on the ground in four minutes after
the alarm. An engine and hose cart
were already there, attached and ready
for business, but no water. Witness
| then made a detailed statement of
all the connections made. The hose
attached TO the plug on Fourteenth
street in six minutes after the alarm would
I Il sn1-.a hon