Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-04-19

Chief Engineer Sullivan, in his report,
| among other things, says: | am able to
congratulate the Board of Fire Commits
sloners upon the fact that no extended
contiagration has, during the past year.
! taken place in our fair city. The record
| shows that there were only three fires of
any particular consequence, and they are
enumerated in the order of their occur
| renee as follows:
The buildings owned by Daniel Mason,
and occupied by Chinese tenants, on Third
street, near l, were destroyed on March
10th, the alarm being sounded at 1870
P. NJ. The loss was about $4,000. The
buildings were frame and of the most in
| fammable material
| The Phoenix Flour Mills Geo. Schroth
d Coz, Thirteenth and streets, were de-
| stroyed on the 18th of June, the alarm
| being turned in at 1910 A. NJ. The prop
erty thus destroyed was valued at $50 600,
with an insurance of $24 900, leaving loss
to the owners of $4,000. The difficulty
experienced in obtaining q prompt supply
OF water upon that occasion no doubt is
well remembered by the members of your
| honorable Board.
On the 18th of June, at 4;20 A. NJ, the
store of Whittier, Fuller & Co., oil mer-
chants on Second street, between ] and X.
| was discovered on fire. The loss amounted
| to about $4,000, chiefly damage to stock,
all of which was fully covered with insur-
ance.
The only fire of any serious nature,
where loss of life occurred, was that of the
morning of March Sd, on Third street. be-
tween | and J, in the Chinese quarters.
The alarm was sounded at 2:13 A. NJ The
building, mere rookery, was occupied by
Chinese tenants, who used it as sleeping
room. The Cinnamon, as is the rule
throughout Chinatown, were yiolators OF
the cGbic-air ordinance, were huddled to-
| gether like so many sheep. Two were
burned to death, and several others barely
| escaped with their lives. Whether those
who lost their lives were stupefied from
| the effects of opium or were suffocated, was
never ascertained. The building, like
many others in that locality, was of such
inflammable material that it burned like
finder. The avenues of escape to all the
Chinese lodging-houses are few, and of but
little service after fire once gets Roadway
Again it is my duty to call the attention
of your honorable body to the fact that
| large quantities of oil are stored in this
city within the fire limits. l assert that
in'the interest of safety and protection the
storage of combustible material, except in
the smallest quantities, should not be al
lowed under any circumstances near the
| center OF tne CITY. In case OF IRE the
presence OF so much inflammable matter
would render the department almost pow
erless to prevent the damage to life and
property which must necessarily result
Such q condition of affairs is constant
menace to the city, "a handicap upon the
fire department, and fruitful source o.
peril to many human lives. Beyond Ger
tain reasonable amount, storage outside O.
the fire limits should be made absolutely
compulsory. have every reason to be
lieve that at this time, and at all time.
during the past, large quantities of oil anC
explosives are stored in the Chimes,
quarters of this city. Strongest measures
are demanded in order to control and reg
ulate such glazing and dangerous prac
tees, and that action in the premise,
should be at once taken.
Total number of fires from March /, 1885
to March 1, 1856, IS; loss, $64 C34; in
surance, $3.50, $50; insurance paid, SOL, $40
length of telegraph lines, IS miles; sigma
boxes, 30
Board of Fire Commissioner ]
Jackson, j. 7. Griffitts, John Conran.
Oficers-S. J. Jackson, President; FREQ
kim, Secretary; G. Sullivan, Chief En-
gineer; NJ. O'Meara, Jr, Assistant En-
gineer.