The morning call., 1894-10-08
A GREAT WAREHOUSE GONE.
One Thousand Tons of Hay and
Oats Burned.
WORK OF A CIGARETTE SMOKER,
Flames Confined by Walls of Corfu
gated Iron-Estimated Loss
SIS, ooo-Other Fires.

All day yesterday a painter twirled an d
smoked cigarettes on Anspacher Brothers
big iron warehouse on Seventh street, near
Brannan. As the glowing end oil one
cylinder of paper and poison neared his
lips he cast it away and ignited another.
Darkness came and the painter, his stock
of cigarettes exhausted, stretched his
weary legs and went home to the bosom of
his family.
An hour after the painter had disap
peared little tongue of flame appeared
over bale of hay in the rear end Of the
building and began to grow ike the little
cloud seen by the Hebrew prophet. The
cigarette-smoker may have had nothing TO
do with the little flame that waxed great
and strong. but the representatives. OF the
insurance company that will have to foot
the bill think his careessness was the
cause of the coDfagratioD that illumined
the southern part of the city last night.
There were 1000 tons of hay and eighty
two tons of oat straw IN the great iron
barn when the little flame broke forth.
The fire spread with great rapidity, until
the mountain OF bales glOwed like Goals In
a Titan's furnace. Not only the sides,
but the roof of the building were OF iron.
and the interior was full of roaring, eddy
ing flames long before the sky turned rosy
red
An alarm was ruug III from box 152 at
f:24 O'Clock, but when Chief Sullivan and
his men arrived they saw at once that the
fire was in a very dangerous locality. Near
the blazing barn is a factory where am
monia is made in great quantities, and
close by is bottling works in which in
f1ammable gases are generated. a second
alarm was sounded few minutes after
the flames had appeared above the roof,
which was curling up in sheets and drop
ping into the huge furnace below.
The building extended from Seventh
street to Norton place, distance of 10
feet, and the hremen were enabled 10
work upon it from two sides. The wooden
framework that supported the iron shell
was quickly consumed, and the iron walls
fell in with a terrific crash that sent a
mighty volume of fame and smoke toward
the zenith. The crowds on Market street
saw 1t, and the cars that went southwark
were laden with sightseers.
The collapse OF the iron walls over the
mighty mound of blazing hay prevented
the fire from spreading, and rendered the
task Of Chief Sullivan's men comparative
~ easy. When the fire was apparently ex-
tnguisbed holes were chopped through
the walls next the ammonia works and
few feet from the ground. Then a fiery
furnace could be seen through the opening,
having all the flercenesS and brightness OF
a steam-boier furnace. Twin streams
were thrown into the flames, but for half
au hour the hay burned inside the iron in
closure as furlously as IL the water was
petroleum.. In the end, however. water
actually drowned the flames from beneath.
When the front wall became so twisted
from heat that IL fell with a crash and a
sizze upon the street bales of slightly
damaged hay remained standing In solid
mass. Without any obstruction water
was quickly turned upon them and soon,
instead of blazing. they were dripping,
while far behind the flames continued to
rage and fight the frenen.
Combustion in the ammonia works was
accompanied by most repulsive odor
from bones and wool-dust, stored away for
manure. Inside the building this smell
was almost suffocating, but the firemen
were compelled TO breathe it while attack
ing the burning warehouse.
Fortunately for them. the explosive
materials were removed IN time to a cor
ner lot, whittier Haas four horses were
also driven. The stock of the ammonia
works was nearly all saved by quick work
while the fire RACED inside the iron build
ing adjoining.
The flames frightened Mrs. Carroll, who
lived al 622 Seventh street, and she like
wise moved from the house suddenly across
the street Her neighbors helped in the
moving so generally that little of her
household effects were burned. After the
general alarm was given people on both
sides of the block grew excited, but were
not permitted to move any of their furni-
ture, as there was no Immediate danger
Two hours after the first alarm the fire
was under control. Nothing was then left
of the warehouse and it's contents but q
smoldering heap OF hay and warped iron
The horses that were tabled in the barr
were rescued before the fire reached their
quarters.
stable that adj0ined the warehouse
was destroyed 1t was the property oil
Haas, the owner Of the ammonia works
who was blessed with an almost miracu
lous revival of memory during the con
dagration. Haas was asked ssfe re BIZ
knew that the stable was destroyed wha
it was worth and for how much it wa.
Insured. He could not remember.
THE stable has been destroyed" h,
was Informed.
aft cost $500 and contained property
valued at $1,000. 1t was insured for $500,
he gasped.
Anspacher Bros loss is estimated a
S25, Mr.. Anspacher arrived at the fir,
after ms warehouse was demolished. IL,
stated ne carried an insurance of $1,000 OF
the stock and $4,000 on the building, which
did not half Cover his loss.
The alarm from box AZ at O'Clock wa
for burning chimney a II Eddy street.
The alarm at 10 o'clock from the sam,
box was for fire in May Towards resor
at 107 Ellis street. 1t was caused py ;
careless clgarette-smoker. Estimated loss
5000.