The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-05
FURIOUS FLAMES,
Destruction of the Centenary Church
and Adjoining Property.

San Francisco was treated to bonfire
last night which was not on the list of
Fourth of July events, but which in the
MATER OF expense exceeded any purely
pyrotechnic display in the country The
cost is estimated at 100000. 1t was the
occasion of three alarms. bringing out the
full available force of the Fire Depart
ment.
1t was shortly before o'clock that Officer
Fields, standing on the corner of Central
avenue and California street. saw a spark
fall on a large building in the neighborhnod
of Bush and Octavia streets. In five min
utes, he states, the spark grew in size and
covered half the roof. lie did not hear an
alarm for five minutes more, and by that
time the whole roof was a mass of flames.
Then an alarm was turned in fIom Box l76,
at the corner IF Cough and Bush streets.
The building on which the spark fell
which soon enveloped its roof was the Cen
tenary Nj. f. Church at I7l7 Bush street, a
large and handsome structure, BY the time
the Fire Department arrived which was
almost half hour after the spark was first
observed, the church was practically
doomed. A second alarm was at once
turned in. and finally third, when it was
seen that the entire block was threatened,
so fierce we've the flames spreading on all
sides from the church, which was burning
from the ground up to the towers.
THE FIEEMEN AT WORK.
Three streams were nj once turned on tho
building, hut the fire officials soon directed
their attention to saving adjacent property.
seeing 1t was useless to try and prevent the
destruction of the church.
Fire Commissioner Maurice Schmitt, who
lives in the block where the fire occurred,
was early on the scene and assisted in di-
rectinp tba framan 70 tho unoot oyoiIoh'a
pIaces in the hlork tn save the ramaindar ,f
the hni,din1s The bIocL is on the nrant % r
| a hin and is cyowned with costly strncturns
chiefly private dweIIings Thosa aiiacant
tn the church soon coiIoht tba Hines and ae
sisted in ,ncressing fha dangor
The first 10 90 was the residanca 1717
Bush street occunied and owned Inv T
Brandt n Iavver Connacted witb n wera
two similar rhree-s,orv dwelIinps and thev
too soon became ipnited. Trese ware on
the east side of ihe chnrch direc.Iy in tha
course of the wind which blew the flames
full upon them.
On the west side OF the church was large
three-story dwelling, owned by G. ID. Sam
uelS, and occupied by SigmOnd Wollberg,
the stockbroker. He was out at the time
with his family. and a servant girl was
asleep IN the building when the fire started.
When this dwelling took fire an entrance
was affected and the girl was rescued.
A GRAND SPECTACLE
TIE four buildings and the large church
with lis high towers. made an extraordinary
large confiagration. which was onseryabIe
from all parts of the city.
The crowd that gathered was immense
thousands coming from ali diyectians and
blocking the streets on ali sides for quite n
distance. Lines were stretched ON all street
corners and a large force Of police was on
hand, but their precautions were insufficient
to keep the crowd in check and the throng
pressed forward till at times they were even
in danger from the falling tnwprs and the
shower OF sparks that ieli Tor blocks around.
..I, roI tih!e IL looked as II the entire block
WV M1u'u 80 .iie nIemeh aipearentiy oelng un-
'aole e " rneck she advance oil the hery tenn
pes., WHlch steadily crept onward, sweeping
th eheiSs.lilis SIs IN Its course. ne residents IN
u. .n1 uWeliiilgs on u01Ph street, winch seemed
w pe 'ne next puidlilgs doomed; began 10
ssacaIe, among tnem Maurice Schmltt ana
taIn'ly. lam 10 save these became the chief ell
iolt Vi the flre Department
A GALLANT FIGHT.
Lines OF hose were run in over the roofs
ana large streams were constantly, played
on on tnose parts where sparks fell ana where
tle iieat seeihed 10 be tne greatest: Inc