The morning call., 1890-12-15
FIERCE FLAMES.
Chinese Shoe Factories Totally
Destroyed.
A Big Building on Commercial Street Burned
out-Chinamsn the Losers-Damags to
Stock and Machinery.

There was an illumination when Box 81
was turned in this morning at 1915 o'clock.
1t came from SansOme and Halleck streets,
and before the gong had stopped striking
the entire city was notified of the serious
conflagration.
The flames sDrang through the roof of the
Chinese shoe factory of Youn Kee g. Co.,
who occupied the third and upper story of Ali
Commercial street. Before the department
could get to the scene the flames had also
taken possession of the two lower floors,
and it was apparent that there was to be
hard battle before the fremen would sue
ceed in getting them under control.
Black smoke rolled out from the windows
as if it was blind fire, which could not be
reached or suppressed. In five minutes the
lower story, occupied by Wo Sing at ALI "a,
was also in blaze.
1t was then evident that the premises
could not be saved, and the chances of los
ing tue entire block were against the "lad-
dies
Streams were poured in from every con-
ceiyable quarter, but they seemed to have
no effect whatever for the first few mo-
ments.
There were over fifty Chinese sleeping in
the rear apartments of Youn kee & Co.
when Captain Douglass, who is veteran
fireman as well as captain of police, ar
rived on the scene. He was about the first
to see scores of jabberiDg Mongolians at the
windows of the burning buildings, and he
directed a fire ladder to be raised to the
most convenient window.
AS soon as means of escape appeared to
the terror-stricken Chinese they made rush
for the ladder.
1t required the combined efforts of the
Captain and squad of policemen to keep
the Chluamen from breaking their neckS in
making the descent Several fell off the
ladder IN consequence of the crowding, but
sustained no serious Injury.
The crowds in the street were wild with
excitement pending the rescue of the Chi
nese and much 1eerlng was INDUCED in while
the escapes were clambering down TO terra
hrma and safety.
The building was partially DESTROYED by
fre less than year ago, the flames starting
in the same place. The structure is three
story brick, owned by E. I. Anthony of this
city.
The origin of the fire is attributed to both
cigarettes and carelessness with matches,
but Captain White Of the Fire Patrol could
not decide which at alate hour this morning
1t was difficult to obtain any definite esti-
mate OF the losses to the Chinese shoe man.
ufacturipg firms, so in many cases only
conlectures could be relied on. The total
loss, however, was placed in the neighbor-
hood of 100000, which includes the build
Ing, stock and machinery. The furnishings
were of the cheapest kind, and only rough
NOOutu ulNlu6Q the factories.
as the Chinese firms disposed of most of
their stock to white houses almost daily,
there was not heavy loss in shoes and
boots. Probably $4,000 will cover the
Chinese firms losses in leather and manu-
factured goods, while the machinery will
amount to about as much more. From fire
and water combined the floors and most of
the Interior were almost totally destroyed,
and 1t will be necessary to reconstruct the
building, which at best was only an old
shell.
When the alarm first sounded everything
was dark, and those who took a look in
every direction. unaided by any knowledge
Of the location of Box 81, could not discover
the faintest glimmer of light to serve as
guide to the place. A nome Mt later, how
ever, flames rose ana increased quickly,
until The heavens were lighted all over the
city.
Those who first arrived on the scene and
saw the smoke, lighted by the flames rising
Wilder Bros. d Myer, Msh & Co.'s
cigar warehouses were afre, and
Sacramento street was soon one
teeming mass, of pushing, pulling
and tumbling humanity. Soon the wind
shifted and the fire was discovered to be on
the CONNER cial-street side, where several
streams were already at work. From that
time only one stream was kept on that side.
1t was carried up and over the building and
played on to the rear OF the burning build
ingS.
TIE warehouses on Sacramento street and
the factories on Commercial street are sep
arated bv an alley fifteen feet in width, and
both OF the facing walls are of fire brick
unbrOken by windows or doors.
While the officers were keeping the sway
ing crowds IN check Young man wearing a
badge of the Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty TO Animals, tried to run the Gordon,
and was stopped by Policeman Conboy. He
insisted, claimed himself an agent of the
law, and announced his intention of seeing
how many Chinese had been burned. Above
all he declared his intention of asserting his
rights as an American citizen. Hei did not
succeed and departed sa, ing he was going
to cause Conboy's arrest.
Serves the old house right" said one Of
the flremen during the progress OF the fire.
1T was built under protest of Chief Scan
nell and the permit would never have been
given for its erection if the then existing
Board of Supervisors had not been so cor
rupt The grounds for the protest by the
Fire Department were that the constrUc-
ton was too frail and not in conform
ity with the regulations for buildings.
The building was intended to be used by
Chinese, and everything was made on that
scale. The floors were weak and the lis
mere partitions. 1t was never meant that in
case of a fire any large loss should result.
Its history bears out the theory it was
first built upon. 1t has during the past
twelve years been three times partially de-
stroyed and then patched up. No fireman
would dare venture into the rooms above,
for floor might cave or wall crash and
he be buried in furnace Of the hottest
Goals"