The morning call., 1893-06-09
THE FATAL FIRE.
A Verdict of Accidental
Death Rendered.
RELIEF FOR THE FAMILIES.
No Evidence of Arson Found-The
Need of Better Protection
Against Fire.
RELIEF FOR THE FAMILIES.

The conflagration on Ashbury Heights
on Wednesday morning bv which three
lives were lost and almost 100000 worth
a. property destroyed has aroused the
people of San Francisco and from the
ashes of the beautiful homes that fronted
n Page, Baker and Lyon streets. may
arise phoenix that will prevent recur-
renee of such calamity.
1t now seems certain that all theories as
to incendarism as to the origin of the fire
are unfounded. Absence of motive, ex-
cept that of vandalism. for any one to COM
nit arson in the locality where the fire oc
Cured strengthens the theory OF the Fire
Marshal.
An inquest on the dead bodies of the
fremen was held yesterday and verdict
of accidental death was returned.
The work of raising funds for the sup
port of their widows and orphaned chill
dren is being pushed, and THE CALL by a
simple suggestion to the managers of the
Grove-street Theater, has opened the way
to add hundreds of dollars to the relief fund.
a CALL reporter was detailed yesterday
to visit the real estate and insurance men
of San Francisco and ascertain from them
their feeling as to the fire of Wednesday
and gain from them an idea as TO what
should be done to prevent a repetition OF
Wednesday mornings confiagratIon.
Everywhere the same sentiments were eX-
pressed, Indignation that the city was not
better protected against fire and apprehen-
sion for the future unless steps were at
once taken to put the Fire Department in
position to protect the homes OF our peo-
pie.
pifu with q fVuO-StOFV fire 0pnArtmpnt'
said the manager of one of the wealthiest
insurance companies doing business on
this coast. Then the manager produced
his books, maps and statistics ana began
to prove by facts and figures the truth of
his statement. There are in this city up
ward of 800 miles of water-malns, run
ming in size from four to TWENTY-FIVE Inches
in diameter. Attached 10 these mains are
less than 1900 fiTe-hydraDts. or az average
of about six hydrantS to the mile. StatlS-
tics show that there is no city In Europe
the size of San Francisco that has less
than twenty-five hydranis to the mile OF
Waterman, and no city IN the United
States of 100000 inhabitants and upward,
except San Francisco. that has less than
fourteen hydrantS to the mile, and the ma
jority of cities have from eighteen to
twenty-five hydrants to a mile Of pipe.
"lf the hydrantS were evenly distributed
it would not be so bad, but there are
blocks in the business part Of the city, oc-
Cupteu supposedly ON uit-pIObl DualhiHEos
that have as high as seven hYdrants to the
block, while in other sections Of San Fran
Cisco there are as high as seven blocks OF
frame residences. owned mostly by poor
men and occupied by women and children,
which have but one hydraEt and that at
tached to a small water-main.
Take for instance the district bounded
hv Utah street, Channel street, Serpentine
avenue, Mission road, the county line and
the bay shore. In all that great area. al
most one-fOurth of the space Of the city.
there are less than fifty hydrants, no fire
apparatus: and even if there were, most
IF the streets are in such Il condition that
the engines could only travel over on
slow trot. The result is that insurance
men ask 20 per cent more Tor policy on
house ia the district named than they
would charge for building similarly stu
ated in another part of town. Were there
plenty Of hvdrauts and a proper water
pressure. n hose company OF two could
easily handle any small IRE without an
engine. but without a chance to get at the
water in the mains the people are helpless
where fire breaks out.
in the Western Addition there is no
fire engine west of Laguna street to the
ocean. The engines IN the neighborhOOd
ef the district have TO run up hill and down
valley and over miles of territory to rem.
der assistance"
The gravity of the situation is probab bly,
realized more fully by the rea-estate men
than any other class except the owners of,
property in the unprotected districts. A
prominent real-estate dealer said Yester-
day. The fire of Wednesday morning has
ruined for me no less than four trades in
suburban or outside property. Men will
not risk the lives of their wives and chill
dren and their hard-earned money by buy
ing property that they know is practically
at the mercy of the flames. If the Spring
Valley Water Company would only come
down to something like reasonable
price we could build up San Francisco in
no time and the sand dunes would BIOS
som like the rose. Something must be
done. and that quickly"
The question Of the water supply has
been practically settled so far as the
abundance of it is concerned, but the
trouble is getting at it when it is needed
The price charged by the water company
is far beyond the prices charged in other
cities, and the present facilities Of the
company would be inadequate to meet the
demand if San Francisco bad all the hy-
drants it needs. Besides, San Francisco
is hllv town and the reservoirs of the
Spring Valley Company have not sufficient
elevation to lift the water through the
mains TO the highest points in the city.
The water company. however, owns sites
for reservoirs that could be established at
a sufficient elevation to lift the water
through the largest main to the highest
hill in the city. What is needed is de-
mand for the building of these reservoirs
by the establishment of fire hydrants
everywhere. and the people seem aroused
now to pitch where they will make this
demand.