The morning call., 1890-06-15
FIRE ladies
STILL AT WORK.
The Pacific Oil and Lead Works
Viewed by Daylight.
An Estimated Lass of 5000, Ooo-Railroad
Traffic Suspended for Time-The
Flames subduei.

The Mecca for those who are ever impelled by
morbid curiosity TO view ana comment upon the
mlsfortunes of others was yesterday the Pacific
Oil and Lead Works. which was the scene OF the
di sastrous fire on Friday night and yesterday.
Thousands visited the scene aud hundreds
fingered about wetiiHg their feet In the water
which made its way from the Quilted building TO
the railroad, thence down the track to point
about a hundred yards distant, where t made It's
way across TO The pay. They sat on the high
piles OF lumber across the track from the build.
ing, or stood ankle deep in water, seemingly I'M
mindful that they presented greater objects OF
study in their moi bidness than the fire could
possibly be-
The chief work visible to the eye OF the spec
tator was that OF clearing the track of water,
oil-c.ke and linseed, which served TO completely
hide 1t for about Two hundred feet. This seed
was at places several inches deep and effectually
obstructed all traffic. From o'clock on Friday
night until 4 O'Clock last evening not single
railroad car could pass, and all day yesterday
large force Of men was kept buslly engaged un-
der the special supervision OF Superintendent
Wilder.
FREIGHT OPERATIONS SUSPENDED.
In an interview Mr.. Wilder stated that the fire
had totally suspended operations ON that part of
the line. "Several carloads OF fruit" said he
I'm fact all that is usually sent for the fruit mar
ket, which on Saturday Is always large, had to
be sent TO Market street on passenger boats this
morning. This OccasiOned good deal OF trouble
but our force and means were superior TO the dlf.
ficulty."
AT o'clock exactly an engine made its way
across this slippery point and dragged long
train across, though to Go so took fully half an
hour and occasoned some damage 10 couplings
by br eakDg them. With this train, however, tile
freight traffic was resumed.
Inside OF the budn 6 all was activity. Fire
men were busly at work tearing away lie de-
bris with their hands, or under mining it with the
powerful stream, which struck with greater
force than catapult. Most OF the WORK by the
fireman was concentrated on that portion where
the fire was supposed 10 have started, aud where
the ie wall had overheated ana fallen away
This was IN the middle section OF the baildng
which was so divided that three parts about 40
feet wide by 125 long, ran longitudinally with
Second street.
WATER PLAYED HAVOC.
The section on Second street was not damaged
10 any serious extent by the fire, but the water
played havoc with the seed stored therein, which
was bagged and piled up from four TO seven
high. The first row iof bags was SO saIur-
ated that imany have burst, having since
swollen The central sectioniwas the.highest Of
all, comprising four stories, while The one on
Second street had only three, and the other one
In the central portion OF this section, right
near a large shaft and In a small room Is where
tile fire was first noticed. and where IL Is sup
posed to have broken cut spontaneously among
the oi-cake, linseed-oil, old sacks aud other
matter OF refuse temporarily swept there until
they could be disposed Of Last evening this
composed OF portions OF the IRE wall, squares OF
tile iron roofing, twisted shafts, broken wheels
and casks whose hoops mad been rent asunder by
explosions, While their contents added 10 the III
fammabllity Of The mass, oli-eake, iinseed ana
copTa.
In The shalt where on Friday night the fire
had sought entrance into The Third and first
floors from The second, was suspended ladder
from which Two french piled their streams for
several hours. Every few minutes, as they were
engag d In directing their powerful streams at
the slnolderng deDrls IN one part OF The build
ing, another part, hitherto hidden by the murky
fumes from other "blnd seats" would grow
more distinct, then lurd, then ablaze, and the
nremen would be compelled TO change their at
tentiOns from The lesser 10 stne. greater menace.
GOOD WINE RUN TO WASTE.
AT midnight the large tre-wall separating the
middle 5, ct0n from the western tOitered a mo-
ment and fell, part OF it crashing into the wine
vaults OF j. Gundlach & Co., and POI ton fall
ing back into The already Quilted building. The
part which fell 10 the west destroyed several
large casks containing wine ana considerable
ran TO waste.
Charles Bundshu, proprietor of the vaults.
stated that lie had 275. 600 gallons OF wine in all
that amount fully one-fiith or from $4,000 to co.
600 gallons would form total loss.
II would estimate" said he, my loss at about
$4,000. l ain insured IN tile Hamburg and
Bremen and the Guardian Insurance companies
to the extent OF $4,000 each Still, l am GER
tain am not fully insured"
When asked what lie thought Kittle & Co.'s
loss may be, lie sad: II should think the loss is
not less than 100000. and 1t may be more than
uOuG!cu. L huOW t!Idt MY lUSS VI S2O,OOO, VI
which figures am leasonably certain, is baga-
telie TO theirs"
Truck l was placed so close TO the building
that the ladders reached the third floor, where IL
was thought first the fire was raging. The lad
der touched "liye'' electric wire, aud In short
time the whole truck became charged with cleo
trciiy. 1t was SO heavily charged that no one
could 20 near IT, and District Eu gineer Sullivan
ordered The men 10 cut down the pole which held
the wires in place.
ESTIMATES OF LOSS VARY.
James Paache, one OF the propretOrs, went
through as much OF the building as he could
reach with safety. He found that the basement,
In which were stored large quantities of oil in
open or uncovered watts or CASKS, had been so
filled with water that much OF the oil had escaped
and wasted. The wafer In this pant, as well as
III The engine rooms, was about eight feet deep.
Mr.. Kittle another Uf the firm, left on Thurs.
day Tor Yosemite, where a telegram was sent
him. VOID was received from him last evening
that he would come Immediately aud would ar
rive in the city tomorrow al noon.
Captain White OF The Fire Patrol had consul
tatlOn yesterday morning with member OF the
firm Of kiltle Co. as 10 its loss. Captain
White alter receiving all the Information posi-
Bile, places The loss TO that trm at something less
than 100000. AT the Office OF kttle & Co.,
however, IL Is stated thai the estimate first made
of 100000 is not exaggerated, even II large
enough.
Besides the loss OF stock The plant is badly
The Union Insurance Company, of which MIR.
Kittle Is one Of the Directors, took the insur-
ance and placed" a portion Of the risk with
nearly every company in the city.
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