The morning call., 1894-11-05
THE PRESS CLUB HOMELESS.
Goldberg, Bowen s Lebenbaum's
Store Destroyed.
ESTIMATED LOSS, $275, 900.
Valuable Paintings and Rare Books
Consumed - Firemen injured.
Chief SuIIivan'S Escape.

Goldberg, Bowen & Leben baum's big
grocery on Pine street was turned into
heap of unsightly ruins yesterday and the
coy rooms of the Press Club on the upper
floor, with their wealth of paintings, rare
books, bric-a- brac and tags, were totally
destroyed.
Fire was discovered in the rear OF the
grocery. where Spring and Summer streets
intersect, al 9:4S o'clock IN the morning.
a still alarm was sent to the house OF
engine on Bush street and Chief Sulll-
van telegraphed Operator Bailey, and the
company started for the scene. They had
barely reached the street in front of the
eugine-house when the alarm bell on
BRENNAN place began to toll and pedes-
TRANS turned their faces toward the corner
of California and Kearny streets.
Engines /, 2, 4, 5 and u, truck l, chemi-
cal l, and a water tower responded and
took up their stations around the burning
structure. The Chief and engine CON-
panv l made their way to the heart of the
block where Spring street crosses Summer
and found the rear of the store full of roar
ing flames. A few moments after their
arrival tank of oil that was near the
Pine-street end of the store exploded with
q loud noise and the heavy plate glass
windows fell with loud crash upon the
street.
TIE interior of the store was soon glow
ing like furnace and the Chief kno wing
that a large quantity of oil, alcohol and
other inflammable liquid was stored in the
place ordered second alarm. Engines 8,
6, 9, 10 and II and truck came to the res
cue and at :05 O'Clock. when an extensive
confagation was apparently threatened,
a general alarm was sounded. bringing
engines 8, II, 10, 10 and % and truck to
the fire. There then remained but eleven
engines TO protect the rest Of the city.
From end to end OF the long structure
the flames held dominion and in spite OF
the torrents of water poured into the great
oven licked up counters and sh Giving,
turned the cashiers high perch into char
coal and made material for the garbage
heap out of one of the largest stocks of
groceries in the city. Casks. demijOhns
and bottles burst, releasing their exhlar-
ating contents until the cutters flowed
with a torrent in which champagne. beer.
whisky and vinegar were commiXed and
c0mmingled. It was a wholesale nutpour-
ing of the liquid that gladden. mans heart
and many an eve grew moist as it rueiully
looked upon the costly deluge.
The rooms of the Press Club were over
the burning store aud the narrow alley.
or runway, that divided it from the east
ern end of the building occupied on the
ground floor By the California Market
Several members OF the club, the steward
and mis- assistant were in the rooms when
The first alarm Of fire was sounded. They
closed the windows to keep out the SIN oke.
but the rapid rise of the temperature soon
gave them lively sense of the danger Of
their position.
The exodus commenced after fruitless
effort to find the big cat Tombstone had
been made. The steward tried to save
Chalfants painting, entitled Hunting"
but thrust his hand through the canvas.
The picture was heavily framed in oak
and antique iron, and the steward, finding
himself unable TO tear 1t from me wall,
decided to leave it and seek safety in flight.
The skull on the mantel grinned as he