The morning call., 1890-10-13
FIRE AT THE MISSION.
Dwellings, Stables and Shops
Quickly Destroyed.
a Refscted Blazs That Attracted Thousands
to the Scene-0riein Of the Burn.
ing and the Losses.

At 7:50 o'clock last evening an alarm of
fire was sent in from Box ~, corner of Mis-
sion and Thirteenth streets. Outside of the
Fire Department, only those acquainted
with the locality and knowing that there
the buildings are dry, and, like Underwood,
ready to ignite at any moment, paid any
heed to the alarm until the sky grew livid
with the flames and thick volumes of smoke
were swept by the evening winds from the
ocean across the city to the bay. An eXten-
sve fire had been a rare occurrence lately,
and quiet Sunday evening, when mills are
shut down and labor suspended, was thought
to be an unusual time for one.
AS soon as the sky reflected the light of
tho fire all over the city thousands turned in
that direction, and quickly the streets in the
neighborhood of the blaze were one seeth-
ing mass of excited humanity eager to view
the ravages Of the elements.
Within two hours from the time the fire
was discovered it was almost subdued, but
six buildings had been wholly or partially
effaced from the map of that district, and its
residents were about $15 900 the poorer.
IT'S ORIGIN.
The fire started, so far as is known at
present, in the rear of the two-story livery
stable Of Ricord & Peaver, 1926 Mission
street. 1t soon spread to other structures at
each side and to the rear, so that before the
fire laddies had fairly got to work the dry
buildings had been destroyed through from
Mission street to West Mission street.
The fire is supposed to have been incendi-
ary and to have originated in the part of the
building occupied by the hay supply
The upper story was made exclusively as
a hay lott. The building was owned by
John Messler. whose loss is placed at $1,000.
The horses were turned out Immediately
and the only loss sustained by the livery
firm was on set of harness and bale of
hay. This firm has carried $500 insurance
since the first of January.
The fire soon spread to a frame structure
facing on the same street and numbered
1924. 1t, too, was a frail building of the
driest sort Of seasoned lumber, filled with
the most combustible storage, and within
fifteen minutes its walls were down, and in
its stead bed Of red-hot Goals were slowly
dying.
THE OCCUPANTS.
This building was occupied by John
Reutchler on the lower floor, where black
smthing and repairing was done. The up
per floor was used as q palnt-ShOp by h.
Fisher, and wood-caryer named Supple
had two of the rooms for his business. The
loss to the occupants of the building will ag-
gregate in the neighborhood of $1,000 each.
In Fishers shop were several carriages
which could not be removed.
No. 1922, q two-story frame building owned
by William Raisch, was damaged beyond
all possibility of further use. 1t was Occu-
pied on the ground floor by saloon and
small shoe-shop. The latter was owned by
a man named DIessman. On the second
floor an old lady and her daughter kept
dressmaking establishment and rented
rooms. Their loss will be about $500,
which, added to that incurred by the occu-
pants ON the lower floor, will make about
$1,000
When the fire first broke out the little
dresSmaker residing at 1922 fastened to 1928,
where Mrs. Kane and three children resided
She hurried her out and carried two OF the
children from the house. leaving the young
est For some time after the flames had
Quilted the building it was rumored that the
babe had not been rescued, but had per-
ished in the flames, bur about 9 o'clock the
infant was found in safe hands.
LIVERY STABLE
The livery stable of f. Schulken, No.
1920, which was almost wholly destroyed,
added $500 to the already large loss, and 1t
was not until the building had been Quilted
that the firemen gained any Roadway with
their streams
In the meantime the wind had risen and
shifted, so that the hot currents oil air and
burning brands set the building on the West
Mission street side afre. House No. p was
the first TO catch fire. 1t was occupied by
four families, and was the property OF Mrs.
John Sullivan, whose loss is about $500.
The furniture of Mrs. Hogan, a widow, was
saved, but in badly damaged condition.
John Towns and John Lenhurst saved part
of their furniture, but in an almost totally
useless state.
SOME OF THE LOSSES.
On West Mission street the losses, so far
as could be ascertained in the excitement of
the moment, are about as follows:
Mrs. Bateman, grocery at No. 62Z2, total
loss, about $1,000; uninsured.
Nj. Clochesy, residing over Mrs. Bate
mans grocery, loss about $50; uninsured.
Mrs. Sulliyan's tenement house, total loss,
about $500; uninsured.
The losses on Mission street, where the
fire first appeared, are, with one exception,
much heavier. They are as follows:
Ricord d Pierce's livery stable; small loss.
Shulken's stable, loss of buggy and bar
ness.
j. Benedict, building No. 1920, used as a
livery stable, loss about $1,000
Charles Alpens. household goods at No.
1922, valued at $500, total loss; no insur-
ance
Chinese laundry at 1880, about $500 loss.
Mrs. L. Kane's household furniture, about
$500.
The district burned over was too risky in
the minds of the insurance agents TO carry
policies, and in some cases several COM
panies have refused to place insurance.