Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-08-13
PACIFIC COAST.
Firebugs Get in Their Work
at Fresno.
A BATTLE WITH HORSE THIEVES
Overland Train Derailed-VOlcani(
Erupti0ns in Japan A
Stubborn Fire.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD

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FRESNO, August 12.-This morning at
about l o'clock Chas. F. Riggs, manager
of the Opera House, was returning home,
and when he turned the corner of X and
Mariposa streets he smelled something
burning. He went to small frame
building on X street, thinking he saw a
light there, and just as he reached the
window flames burst from the floor as if
oil had been poured over it and set afire.
The burst of fame was almost like
an explosion, and Riggs at the same in
slant saw two men fully dressed rush
from the building. They uttered no cry
of fire and were evidently responsible for
the awful confagration which followed.
Riggs ran to the corner OF Mariposa
street and cried FIRE. A man named
Powell heard the alarm and crashed
through the glass window of the second
story of the burning building and fell
into the flames. Riggs sprang into the
burning room and picked the man up.
OIL CoPIOUsLY USED.
The fire spread with incredible rapidity
and in five minutes the whole of the
block was mass of seething flames. Oil
was used everywhere in the rear of the
block where fire could catch it. The fire
ing could stay the flames. The men who
went into the second story of the block
were compelled to run.
A negro, named Fruit, was badly
burned internally. He inhaled flames
while in Judge Dixon's law Office trying
to save private papers. He was not in
the building five minutes, yet the flames
caught him.
The fire soon crossed the street to the
magnificent brick block on the south
side of Mariposa and X streets, owned
by Olcease & Garibaldi, of Merced,
which was entirely destroyed. The loss
to Fresno business men is least $780,
coo.
THE WORK OF BURGLARS.
The fire was undoubtedly the work OF
gang of men who have been burglariz-
ing houses in this city. The citizens are
thoroughly aroused. During the fire at
tempts were made to enter ]. L. Bed
ford's residence, Mrs. H. Frees milli-
merry store and Mr.. Ewing's residence.
Steve Fruit is badly burned about the
face, chest, head and arms, besides hav-
ing inhaled flames. In making his es-
cape he jumped through a second story
window and crushed the bones of his
ankles so badly that, together with his
other injuries, he cannot live.
George Powell was badly burned about
the head, arms and upper part of
the body. His face was badly cut
uboro bo oroob od tb rourb fbo x,;r o,r :, =,
escaping. His nose was cut almost off
just below the bridge; His injuries will
probably prove fatal. 1t may be that
THE LOSSES IN DETAIL.
Later the losses and insurance have
been summed up as follows: T. Riggs.
groceries, loss $4,000, insurance $4,000
George Bernhardt, saloon, $4,000, insur-
ance $2500; Houston Bros, barber shop,
loss $500, no insurance; A. Tombs, gen
eral merchandise. loss Sis, 900, insurance
$1,000; Webster Bros, drug store, loss
ST., 900, insurance $4,000; Subolich, fruits,
loss $2500, insurance $500; E. Kobloch,
bakery, $4,000, insurance $4,000; D. S.
Terry, law library, loss 900, no in
surance Kinds & Merriam, law library,
loss $1,000, insurance $3.50; Stewart &
Daily, law library, loss $1,000. insurance
$500; r. D. Edwards, law library, loss
$500, insurance $4,000; Bruce Cavitt,
law library, loss $1,000, insurance small !;
H. s. Dickson, law library, loss $40, 900,
insurance $4,000; E. w. Risley, law
library, loss $1,000, insurance $500 !;
S. Wright, law and abstract,
loss $500, insurance $1,000; S. N,
Griffith and R. B. Johnson, owners of the
building, loss SAC, 1000, insurance Sis, 500 !;
Thos. Yost, jewelry and stationery, loss
$4,000, insurance $4,000; E. Clark.
groceries, loss $4,000, insurance $500 !;
Justly, saloon, loss $4,000, insurance
$500; K. F. Weaver, hardware, loss
$4,000, insurance $4,000; F. A. Smith,
drug store, loss $12, 900, insurance $1,000 !;
A. F. Baker, general merchandise, loss
$12, 800, insurance $4,000.