The record-union., 1891-07-06
Conflict.
Special to the RD-UNIoN.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
SAN Francisco, July 5.-The city was
so singularly free from fire alarms yes
terday up to the approach of evening that
the restriction of the sale of fireworks,
the individual watchfulness of property
owners, and the precautions of the Fire
Department were all reaping harvest
of praise, and the people were lulling
themselves into fancied security from
danger, when, just at the fall of dusk,
alarm followed alarm in such quick sue
cession as to be confusing, if not to the
department, at all events to the general
public, and not unfrequently to the
police
Up to o'clock P. NJ. but two alarms
were registered for incipient blazes,
which were easily eXtinguished. After
that for good two hours the bell kept
tapping at lively rate, and between
and o'clock there was such rush to the
signal-boXes that no sooner had one
alarm been rung out than new one fol-
lowed.
1t was just at the close of this fatal hour
too that the alarm from box 176 came in,
and the department, on a second alarm
which followed in a few moments, were
sent to fight the biggest fire that the city
has witnessed on Independence Day since
1868. On that occasion fourteen houses
Were laid in ashes by the destroying ele-
ment on Drumm street, between Pacific
and Jackson.
Last evening the flames laid low a
church edifice and four handsome
residences, besides leading to the fatal in
jury of one and the manning of several
tiremen. The fire broke out in the Cen
tenary NJ. +. Church, on Bush street, be-
I Il
although the entire Fire Department
worked on the fire the church was totally
destroyed.
The fire communicated to the residences
on either side of the church and across
the street, and almost the entire block
was burned.
The church and the dwellings destroyed
will foot the loss up to about Sl50,00O.
William Hunt, fireman, fell from a
ladder, a distance of fifty feet, and re-
ceived injuries which will cause his
death. Several other firemen were in
jured, but none seriously.
A gentleman who for twenty years has
kept an accurate account of such disasters
is authority for the statement that during
the past two decades there was never
anything like the number of night alarms
rung in on Fourth of July as was rung
in last night.
From / o'clock yesterday afternoon,
o'clock this morning, sixteen alarms
were responded to.
TOO MUCH FIRECRACKERs.
DECoTA, July 5.-Edward Salz' grain
warehouse, T. q. Ferra's saloon and gen.
eraI merchandise store, also the post
office, were burned down at | A. NJ
Everything was lost. The railroad sta
ton was badly scorched. The origin of
the fire is supposed TO be too much fire
crackers. The property was insured.
FIRE NEAR TEMPLEToN.
TEMPLEToN, July SIS. R. Ord's house.
barn and about two hundred acres of
grain, horses, hogs and household goods
were totally destroyed by fire on
the Fourth. The loss is about s., 900,
which includes the property of the owner
of the land, ID. G. Allen. Partly insured.
GRASS FIRES IN MARIN COUNTY.
SAN RAFAEL, July 5.-The hills on the
south side of town caught fire this after
noon and the fire is now burning toward
San Quentin. y large force of men are
battling the flames, and it is supposed
the fire will be under control in a short
time.
BUSINESS HOUSES BURNED.
MODESTO, July 5.-At $50 O'Clock last
evening a fire broke out in the millinery
store of Misses Rodgers d Jackson, on
Tenth street, between II and /. The
LdiiltS spIGsiu lDlpAulS. anu
Justice Towne's office, Miss Armstrong;
dressmaking establishment, H. Lewis
cabinet and picture store, Matterer's s
bakery, Browns butcher shop and
Loventhal's restaurant. Loss, about
81 600; insurance, about $1,000.
A SoNoMA FARMERS LOSS.
SoNoMA, July 5.-Yesterday afternoon,
while the family of George A. Goes, a
farmer living near Sonoma, were attend
ing the Fourth of July celebration at
Maxwell Grove, his grain field and house
took fire. a field of grain, the house and
everything belonging to the family, ex-
cept the barn, were destroyed. No in
surance.
FATAL FIRE NEAR MERGED.
MERGED. July 5.-Fifteen farm hands
were playing cards in the shed of barn
at Alfalfa Camp, when it caught fire. All
escaped but one man named Sherman.
sHINGLE MILLS BURNED.
SEATTLE (Wn.), July 5.-Porter Bros.
& Cages shingle mills at Ballard and
Salmon Bay were burned to the ground
yesterday, entailing a loss of $4,000;
insurance 5000.
THE GLORIOUS FOTRTH