The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-10-23
OIL WORKS ALL ABLAzE.
A Fire That Threatened
Much Damage.
Three Engines Have to Pump Into One Line
Of Hose to Produce an Available
Stream-The Less.

About 6 80 o'clock last night the residents
in the neighbOrhood of Main and Folsom
streets were started by heavy explosion,
followed by two or three lesser ones In
quick succession. The residents ran into
the street and saw the whole OF the interior
of the California Oil Works. three-story
frame building, on the northwest corner of
the streets named, in flames.
Officer James Aiken, who was patrolling
his beat on Main street and was just ABOVE
the house OF Engine Company 8, ran to tho
eDgine-house and gave the alarm and then
hurried to the nearest box. No. 81, at the
corner of Folsom aud Beale streets. from
which he sent In an alarm TO the depart
ment.
Engine ran to the hydrant at the corner
Of Main and Folsom streets, and had
stream of water playing on the fire before
the bells had sounded the alarm. but owing
to the inflammable nature of the contents of
the building ablaze. the efforts of the mem-
bers Of this company were Of but little
avail.
The fire fed rapidly on the infammable
contents of the building, and it was not long
before the flames shot up through the roof
and through the windows.
BY the time the district apparatus reached
the scene Of the fire, and they were not long
| in getting there. the heat was so intense
| that the roof Of the Keystone Boiler Works
in a large frame building on the northeast
corner of Main and Folsom streets caught
fire, and the roof of the steel works in a
frame building adjoining the oil works on
| the west and piles of clear spruce and red
wood in Hobbs, Wall d Co.'S lumber yard
to the north OF the oil works were in blaze.
The flremen were prepared to make Wig
| orous fight. but they found the odds against
| them, as the water mains in that vicinity
| are small and the pressure so slight that
| they could not get more than a forty-foot
| stream on the fire. Not only was the supply
scant, but the heat-waS so great that they
could not get near enough to the burning
| buildings to bring the water to bear upon it.
| Assistant Chief Engineer Sullivan, taking
! in the situation at q glance, summoned adj
| ditional aid by second alarm. In the
| meantime he concentrated the streams from
| engines 4, 8 and II into a triple nozzle.
| which produced single stream of most ex-
| traordipary power. That one stream soon
made its power felt; wherever it struck the
! FIRE was quenched, and in less than half an
| hour ii was under control. In the mean
| while other streams were used to extingpish
| the fire ON the Keystone Works and wet
| down buildings to prevent spread of the
! fire.
| Chief Scannell, who came down when be
saw the blaze, which illuminated the eastern
1 v.
| fire was under control and there was only
| q mass of burning embers on the site of the
| oil works, and then there was an oppor-
! tunity to discover what damages had been
| done.
The building in which the fire originated,
| together with its contents, was totally de-
stroyed. 1t was occupied by John Mckee
| and Daniel Cotton, doing business under
| the firm name OF Mckee & Cotton.
The roof and upper part of 1920 Fol-
som street, occupied by George W.. Ed
mund, Thomas and George w. Pennington
| Jr., conducting business under the firm
| name of g. & E. Pennington 81 Sons. was
! partly destroyed and the steel within the
| building more or less damaged by heat and
| by water
The lumber that was on fire was in the
| rear OF John G.. K. Hobbs and ,Joseph q.
Wallis lumber ward. fronting on Smear
street. Nos. 314-34. and known as the depot
| of the Elk River mills OF Crescent CITY.
Considerable lumber was damaged.
The roof OF the boiler works opposite was
| not badly damaged.
What caused the explosions and suhse.
| guent fire could not be aseertained last night.
| Ii there had been a high wind it Is donbf-
| full II the fremen, willing as they were.
would have checked the fire as well as thew
| did. and all because there was but limited
| supply OF water.
Every time there has been large fire in
this district there has been complaint of
the supply OF water. Everybody interested
declared that it was shame, and there the
matter ended.
The owners of the oil works were unable
TO give figures as to the amount of their
loss, but 1t is estimated that it will reach
$4,000, with some insurance.
The PennlDgtons estimate their loss at
from $4,000 TO $1,000, with only $4,000 in
surance.
The loss sustained by Hobbs, Wall & Co.
will reach $4,000 or 5000.
The aggregate less will foot up from
$50. 900 to $4,000