The morning call., 1893-06-13
Fire Plays Sad Havoc at
Ocean View.
FOUR BUILDINGS CONSUMED.
The Loss About SIS, 000-The Pretty
Suburb Totally Unprotected
From Fire.

ana announcer OuliuluS was udlDaRtu. 1uo
loss altogether is estimated at $4,000.
Outside of San Francisco if statement
were made that in a suburb containing
from 500 TO 600 houses, and population of
nearly 1000, there was only one hydrant,
and the only means of eXtinguishing fire
was an old hose cart with 60 feet of rotten
hose, the person making the statement
would be looked upon us out of his head.
That, however, is the position in which
Ocean View stands, and what makes it
worse is that there is only a pressure at
the hydrant to throw stream six or seven
feet. In other words, Ocean View is to-
tally unprotected from fire.
Property-Owners have petitioned Boards
OF Supervisors time and again for appar-
atus 10 protect them in case of fire, but
without result. 1t is only three or four
weeks ago since a committee of four ap-
peared before the Fire Committee of the
board and craved for protection, but they
were told That nothing could be done.
But the fire of yesterday morning will
probably have the effect of bringing the
matter before the Finance Committee of
the board tins week.
At little after o'clock yesterday
morning, while freight train was at
Ocean View, the engineers attention was
attracted bv blaze of light in the direc-
ton of Sears street and Sickles avenue.
which he strongly suspected originated
from house on fire. He at once blew
The whistle of his engine, and continued
doing so until the residents had been
aroused from their slumbers. By the
time they reached the scene of the fire.
however flames were issuing from four
buildings on Sickles avenue.
1t was at once seen that the suburb was
practically unprotected from fire, and
telephone message was sent to Chief Sulli-
van asking for assistance, as it WAS feared
that Ocean View would he wiped out OF
existence. The Chief ordered Assistant
Chief D0ugherty to proceed TO the fire and
take chemical engines !, and 2 with him.
No time was lost in getting start. but,
owing to the distance and the fact that
the horses had to pull uphill for a consid-
cradle part of the way, the first engine did
not arrive at Ocean View until about
$50 A. VI.
Meantime the Young Mems Bucket
Brigade Of the town, headed by John
Egan. had been working hard in assisting
the occul anis TO save some of their per-
sOnal effects and properly and in doing
what little they could to prevent the
flames from spreading. Some of lie occu-
pants of the burning buildings had barely
time to jump out of bed and dress them
selves before they were forced TO beat
retreat from the flames and smoke.
AS the only hydrant IN the district was
at the railway station, nearly five blocks
away from the scene of the fire, and the
only apparatus was an old husecart and
aUuut sixty feet of rotten hose. no helm
could be obtained from that quarter in
stopping the progress of The fire. The
owners and occupants of the buildings
could only look on and see Their property
burning into ashes before their eyes.
When Assistant Chief Dougherty ar
rived four buildings had been consumed
a = In
and Urow street was burning. He imme-
date ~ tested the ,nydrant at the railway
station by putting on TWO lengths of hose
fifty feet each, but the pressure was So
feeble that the stream was only thrown
about six or seven feet from the nozzle.
The chemical engines were then put to
work on the burning building, fences and
Outhouses were pulled down. and the
flames were eXtinguished. The bucket
brigade had done good service in checking
the flames on this building by forming two
lines 20 well, passing the full buckets up
one line and the empties down the other
The fire started in the two-story build
ing on the corner of Sickles avenue and
Sears street, owned by j. j. McGrath and
occupied by Charles Jolli as a saloon and
dwelling-house. The saloon was familiar
~ known as "Charley's Resort" There
was a strong wind blowing during the fire
aud il carried the sparks and burning en-
6ers to the roofs of the other buildings.
The fire was caused by defective f1ue
Joiii escaped with only his unde rclothes
and pair O pantaloOns. which he had on
Nothing much of value was saved from
the four buildings except few household
articles from the house of q. A. Clubbing
The amount of insurance on the four
buildings consumed was less than $1,000,
while their estimated value was $4,000 and
contents about $780, making a total loss
of S14, 500. besides $500 damage to the
building partly burned.
Inc bIlldIng occupied by JOlli as
saloon and d~elling was valued at $4,000.
insured for $1,000. Jolli had $500 insur-
ance on saloon fixtures and furniture, val
ued at $1,000.
The second building on the row was
owned and occupied by q. a. Clubbing as
n residence. 1t was a twO-story frame
house valued at $4,000. and insured with lis
contents. valued AT $500, for $1,000.
Daniel Campbell owned and occupied
the third house, which was a story and a
half frame dwelling. 1t was valued at
$500 and there was no insurance on it,
The loss on contents was estimated at
$1,000.
The last two buildings in the row were
owned by John Maloney. The first,
single-story building occupied by Mr.. Ma
loney as residence, was burned entirely
TO the ground. 1t was valued at $500 and
was insured for $1,000. The loss in con-
The second building. and the last one in
the block, occupying the corner of Huron
and Sears streets, was saved from total de-
structlon and the damage 10 il is placed at
$500. The damage was confined entirely
to the side nearest the other buildings
burned. 1t Is occupied by Mr.. Mlanney
with saloon below and the upper story is
used for hall purposes.
For more than year the property-own-
ers OF Ocean View have been petilonine
the Fire Commissioners and the Superyis-
ors and everybody else they could think of
for better fire protection
Several fires have occurred during the
past year there, all of which might have
been extinguisbed easily enough had there
been any adequate facilities for that pur-
pose.
The propertv-owners formed what is
known as the Ocean View Improvement
Association, and one of the first things
which the Improvement Association
tackled was the matter of better fire nro.
G. A. Clubbing. whose house was the
second to burn yesterday morning. was
made president of the association. A CALI,
reporter found Mr.. Clubbing pensiyely
surveying the smoldering ruins where his
house had once been. and asked him about
the situation.
I'VE have about 600 houses here in Ocean
View" he explained, (which are entirely
without fire protection.
There is Boys Bucket Brigade and an
old hosecart down at the railroad station.
several blocks from the place where the
fire took place. The hosecart is kept in
shed hack of Murnhv'a Hall and 20 r,ia,