The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-06
AFTER THE FIRE.
The Centenary Church Property
Was Not Insured.
1t Is Total Loss to the Congregation Other
Losses Covered-Ihe Injured Firemen.
Brave Mother.

The exact origin OF the disastrous fire on
Saturday night that destroyed the Centen-
airy NJ. E. Church and four residences ad-
joining was discovered yesterday.
A few minutes after 9 o'clock A. Stein
berger was sitting in the back window of
his residence al 1923 Suffer street, when he
saw a ball of fire from skyroeket descend
in the rear OF the church. He watched the
spark for a few moments, and then was
greatly startled by seeing tongues of flame
creeping up the rear side of the sacred
edifiee.
He at once sought telephone, but there
was so much delay in getting an answer
that ne gave up the effort to notify the Fire
Department. 1t is now the opinion of GER
tain officials that had lie ran at once to a
box and turned in an alarm the church and
the adjoining property would have been
saved.
FATAL DELAY.
There seems to have been an unnee esSAry
delay all around in sounding the alarm.
The grocer at the corner of Post and Octa-
via streets, who had the KEY of the station
there, at first refused to give up the key,
and II took several excited persons fully ten
minutes to convince him there was a Ere in
the neighborhood.
Until an early hour yesterday morning q
dozen very weary tiremen remained at the
scene of the fire, and a stream was kept
playing on the embers until every spark
had been put out and the ruins thoroughly
Hooded. Crowds of persons went to the
scene of the confiagration during the day
and viewed the charred remnants OF what
had been stately structures.
The work OF Strengthening out the losses
and adjusting the insurance will begin this
morning.
LOSSES AND INSURANCE.
Captain White and Fire Marshal Towe
say that The CALLS estimate of 100000
as the total loss is as correct as can yet be
determined. The losses caused by the de-
struction of the residences of |. G. l..
Brandt. G. d. Samuels and S. Wallberg, A.
Godschaux ands Charles Leavy, are said to
| be fully covered by insurance. These dwell
ings were very richly furnished, ana many
| cherished relics can not be replaced.
In this connection il seems that the Gen.
| tenary Church property was not insured.
and the congregation will suffer loss of
| about 5000 1t may be impossible for the
| congregation to rebuild the structure.
About year ago the insurance policy ran
| out, and, owing 10 the high rates, the Trust
| ees decided it wOu d be better to wait until
| after the adoption Of a proposed new under
| writers law before reinsuring. So it came
| to BASS that no insurance was carried, and
| the destruction Of the church is total loss
| to the congregation.
The NOU NDED TRUChMEN.
The fiIemen who were injured while nobly
| battling with the flames were ali consider
| ably improved yesterday. William Hunt of
Truck 5, who suffered most severely from
the fall Of ladder, was moved to his home
on Eddy street. he partially regained con-
| seriousness. Dr. Murphy, one of the attend
ing physicians, said that Hunts skull was
not fractured. as was first supposed. He
was injured internally and would probably
| die, but there was still some hope for his re-
cUVery.
BRAVE LITTLE WOMAN.
The disastrous blaze was Instrumental in
bringing into striking prominence the I'M
SelfishneSs of mothers love and the bravery
| of a woman under circumstances of extra
| ordinary pain and peril which have not hith-
erto been chronicled.
Charles Leavy, United States Appraiser,
| with his wife and children, occupied the
house, No. 17l5 Bush street, one of the
dwellings east OF the Centenary Church
which went down in the flames. At the
very moment that the scOrching blast threat
ened the destruction of the entire block Mrs.
Leavy was about TO become a mother The
fact that their home WAS in danger was not
discovered by the family until instant flight
was necessary. Not minute was 10 spare,
and in the emergency, as was but natural
the attendant Of the sick woman ran to her
side to carry her out of the doomed build
| ing. The flames which shot skyward
| at that very moment illumined the whole
district and for blocks around the sparks
| were falling in a golden shower.
MoTHERLY DEVOTION.
Amid all the excitement in that house the
| sufferer showed the nobleSt conception of
| duty. Don't mind me, she sad-almOst
| commanded-''save the children" And at
| her wish the little ones were aroused and
taken to a shetering roof before the mother
| would consent to her own rescue. Then,
| her maternal instinct fully satisfied, she was
rraflta IN fhA Lilo ,l,oe
as tenderly as possible after them. A few
| minutFs later the home was beyond saliva
| tinn, and an hour after while the flames
still flickered around its blackened shell,
| the babies who had been carried SO uncere-
mOniously from their cOnches were present
| ed with little sister.
The genial appraiser is prouder than ever
of his brave little wife, whose praises are
now being sung in every household in the
neighborhood