Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-01-04
THE FIRE.
The Los Angeles Furniture
Co.'s Store Destroyed.
SIGHTS THE STREETS.
Two Hundred Thousand Dollars
Lost in Very Short
Time-NOteS.

fires, OF which Los Angeles mas eX-
y perienced number recently, broke
! out in the premises occupied by the
Los Angeles Furniture Company,
Nos. 250 and 26l North Main street.
So far as could be learned, or as any
person knew, the first indication OF
fire was observed by the girls who
worked in the upper story. They
had been working as usual, and one
of them happening to look up toward
the ceiling, saw flames burst out just
under the rafters where they joined
the side walls. She screamed
fire, and all the occupants OF
the upper floor flew down
ward and informed Mr.. Johnson,
Treasurer Of the company, that the
building was on fire. He immedi-
ately telephoned to the central Office,
and from there the alarm was sent to
the engine houses. In a very few
minutes the fire department was on
the spot and for four hours in the
midst of heavy rain the fremen
worked hard to prevent the fire from
getting beyond control, All furniture
warehouses contain an immense
4 of goods that are extremely inflam-
mable and such was the case with the
! Los Angeles Furniture Company. The
4 upper stories especially were filed
with light material and from
/ the first it was seen that very
small amount, if any Of their
contents could be saved from
the fact that the smoke
was SO thick that there was
no possibility OF entering and putting
the water ON the seat OF the fire,
which, owing to the windows being
| closed, smouldered rather than, as is
usually the case, burned rapidly.
! 1t was fully three-quarters OF an hour
4 before any flames were seen issuing
| from the windows. The fire was seen
| to be making it's way toward the front
portion OF the building first, and the
] efforts of the Fire Department were
i directed to this from tie start. A
= large ladder was sent up to the third
story window and after considerable
trouble owing to the rain, a stream
was directed into one OF the front
windows and gradually the fire was
driven back. In the meantime the
citizens had generally turned their at
tention toward saving the carpets and
j furniture stored on the ground floor
n As lung as there was anything to
be carried out there was a constant
stream of citizens, each with roll oil
carpet or some other article on his
shoulders, pouring out from the front
door, and the line OF march was across
the street, where the entrance and
Hallway OF the Baker block, rs well as
everal stores, were packed full OF car
pets, etc. This was extremely I'M
pleasant work, but the citizens did
not seem to mind it, and worked with
such will that it was estimated they
had saved between $30, 900 and 100000
worth Of goods.
A stream was taken to the top OF
1.-THE adjoining building, and it played
on the fire through the side win
dows. Later two streams were turned
i into the building through the back
n windows, but the handling Of these
was very difficult on account OF the
lslippery state OF the sheds and roofs.
Ut was almost impossible to keep or
gain a footing, and it was only by
strenuous efforts that the tircmen
were able to hold the nozzles OF their
hose. 1t was fortunate that the en-
ployes remembered the varnish stored
B lin the paint room in time to remove
1.-THE most of it before the fire reached
that part OF the building. Had it been
allowed to remain the fire could
not have been controlled 50 easily.
! At half-past 3 O'Clock the fire was
nearly out, and at half-past the
engines were relieved.
Notwithstanding the rain which
poured down the whole time, Main
street was crowded with the curious,
who braved the mud and water and
stood without umbrellas III the middle
of the street. on the sidewalk and in
the doorways, watching the efforts OF
the fremen. The police several
ltimes cleared the passageways,
S6t they filed up again and
at was almost impossible for Il
foot traveller to make his way along
the street. The street cars were
topped and the passengers We're com
&elled to walk through the mud to
eontinue their journeys, and alto
kether il was most disagreeable day
yfor a fire. either for the sight seers Or
.Hthe firemen.
81 The stock in the building was fig
Alred roughly by Mr.. Johnson at
about 5000, 900. On this there was an
nsurance Of $112, 900 in the various
Insurance companies. and the citizens
land employees saved between $50 900
land $40, 600 worth, SO that after the
insurance is paid up, the loss OF the
&company will not amount to more
than $50, 600 or $75 900.
The Los Angeles Furniture Com
xpany seems to be unfortunate, for
kthis is the third time that it has been
consumed by fire. The first time
was in 1876, and later in the Spring
3of 1881, when it occupied other prem
Uses on Main street.
The Los Angeles Furniture Com
Xpany originated from the firm OF
#Dotter e. Bradley, but the business
Vgrew SO rapidly that it was found
necessary to form an incorporation,
>os. which the directors are II. II.
~ Markham, j. G. Dotter, G. II. Bradley
and G. T. Stamm. The patronage
which the company has enjoyed
has been enormous. and at the
d time of the fire it had con-
81 tracts TO supply no less thah VIII
H teen hotels with furniture and carpets.
So far as known there are seventeen
carloads of furniture on the way to
supply the demand, which, at the
present time, is enormous; and the
loss will be felt badly by those who
expected to furnish their houses and
had ordered their fittings and >furni
ture.
The building belonged to Messrs
Hellman and Childs, and was valued
at $40, 600. On this there was an in
surance of $4,000.
NOTES AND INCIDENTS.
[, One fireman had three fingers Gu
off by glass.