San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-03-04
THE FIRE.
A Business Corner Burned this
Morning,
Great Loss Of Propety-Four Hours
Hard Work for the Brave and
Gallant Firemen.
THE FIRE.

| Fire was discovered TINS morning AT
2:20 O'Clock in the rear Of the old Smith
building on the corner Of Commerce
street. Main plaza and Soledad street.
| The building was a two-story adobe
Structure, perhaps 80 years, owned by
the heirs of Sam =. Smith, deceased. the
Ximenes family and the heirs OF Mrs.
Eleanor Elliott. and was occupied on
Main plaza by Messrs. CritZer Bros,
jewelry store. Scott's printing office,
the Elite saloon and restaurant OF LOUIS
tanou and Bergersux, G. II. Nash, COM
mission merchant, and Sim Hart, tobac-
conist. On Soledad street 1t was occu-
pied by Sim Hart, Loustsnou & Berg
eraux and Walter PattersOn's and l.. J.
B0wsky's barber shops.
When the fire was first discovered by
Assistant Marshal Cardenas, Officers
Fitzhenry and Van Alstyne and Mer-
chant Policeman Baxter, ii had gained
considerable Roadway. Officer Van AL
styne ran to the engine house of Fire
Company No. l, on Market street and
gave the alarm while the other officers
cried fire and rushed into the saloon to
assist in extinguishing it. The fire was
found in the rear corner Of the restau-
rant adjoining the barber shop and had
burned through the frame or upper par
tition wall and could not be very well
reached. The explosion Of can of
kerosene oil on the shed roof back of
Patterson's shop lent fuel to the
flames and the fire was soon
beyond control. The engines OF the
fire companies were delayed short
while, and when they arrived, although
the firemen and volunteers worked
bravely In fighting the flames, but little
could be done and work was then COM
menced in rescuing what available
goods could be secured from the burn
ing mass. But little of the Elite restau-
rant stock was saved, the fine fixtures of
the cafe and the saloon attached being
totally destroyed. The stock of fine
French cognac, whiskey and wines was
partially saved, though many of the
barrels of whiskey were ablaZe when
rolled out. The furniture and fixtures
of c. ii. Nash's place of business were
ruined by ire and water, and only the
contents OF his safe were saved. Messrs.
Critzer Bros. large jewelry store. but
recently enlarged and relitted, Jared more
badly. apparently, than any of
the others, being completely ruined by
the fire and water. Messrs. Critters
fine stock of silyerware, clocks and cut
lery was destroyed by the fire and by
being carried out and dumped in the
plaza mud in the most reckless manner.
All their fine watChmakers' machinery
and tools were destroyed, and their loss
will be very heavy. Sim Harris stock
was removed. with but little damage, to
the Sunset Union Ticket Office in the
Kampmann building, though his fixtures
suffered considerable damage. Patter-
sons and Bowsky's barber shops were
wrecked completely.
Fire Company No. | was the first to
arrive, and Immediately attached to the
hydrant at s. Deutsch's corner and threw
the first stream on the buildings. Fire
Company No. 2 was the next to arrive and
attach TO the hydrant at the corner of
SOledad and Veramendi streets, and Tur-
ner Hook and Ladder Company then
came on the spot and attached q hose to
the hydrant in front of the Comfy Court
House. The janitOrs Of the Kampmann
building, which is well provided with
hose in case Of fire, attached their two
two-inch hydrants to faucets in the build
ing and from the third and fourth stories
threw their small streams direct
The fire was not under control until af-
ter 4 o'clock, and was not fully extin-
guishsd until $3.50 o'clock. Burning tim
bers were ablaze until this morning at 8
O'Clock.
The loss to the Critzer Brothers is not
known positively. Their stock was val
ued, according to their statement to
LIGHT reporter, at $500, besides their
machinery and fixtures, valued at $l400
or $500. They were insured for $l4OO
In companies represented by MIR.
Bonynge. Their jewels and very val
liable watches were saved, as the safe
contained these. Mr.. G. II. Nash's fur
niture and fixtures were insured
the New York Underwriters Agen-
cy for 5000. The Elite saloon and
restaurant building was insured for
$4,000 with Mr BOnynge's companies,
and the building belonging partly to
heirs Of Elliott and heirs of Smith was
insured with him for S., 900, $4,000 in
all. Sim Harris store was insured with
Miss Florian, in the Liverpool, London
and Globe for $500, and with Smith &
Co. for $1,000, with I. A. Young for
$500. Bowsley's barber shop was in
sured with Smith & Co. also, for about
$1,000. Patterson's shop was not in
sureu, as the insurance policy had
lapsed. Loustaunau & Co.'s stock and
fixtures were insured for Sl,250 and
$l.750 respectively, and a lot of fine
WHISTLES and new stock had Just been
received. Mr.. Thad Smith, one of the
heirs Of the Smith building, states that
with the $4,000 insurance on the building
it can be put In about the same condi-
ton as it was before the fire.
NOTES.
Sim Hart says his loss will be between
$1,000 and $4,000.
The old Ximenes building in the rear
was not insured.
No one was injured in the fire, so far
as known.
Mr.. l.. Wolfson's store was greatly
jeopardized, but the firemen saved II.
and Mr.. Wolfson showed his appreciation
by setting up the refreshments to the
boys in unlimited quantity.
The streams from the Kampmann
building fairly drenched the firemen and
gazers underneath, and caused a great
deal OF swearing and complaint.
The plaza was crowded. and every one
seemed to know just what the firemen
should do, and all about it, in fact.
The telephone service was very in
effective, and when Fire Company No. 2
telephoned to know the location OF the