The morning call., 1894-03-14
SCENE OF THE EXPLOSION.

geant. when l heard a terrific explosion,
and l turned Instantly. A mass of flame
was issuing from Phelan's paintshop. A
second afterward, when the first rush of
flame through the doors and windows had
ceased for an instant. / saw man run
out OF the doorway of the burning build
ing. He ran across Mission street and
into Willow avenue. aud l followed him.
He dldsnot utter word until about half
way to Valencia street, when he fell and
began 10 shout for help. / rushed up TO
him, tore off his vest and rolled him In the
sand until the fire had been put ont He
recognized me. asking if my name was
Shea.
when 1 asked him what his name was
and how the FIRE occurred he said: Don't
disgrace me. Take me to The hospital l
asked him if he thought he could walk
He said he could. We walked to the Sew
enteenth-street station. There he refused
to give his name or make any statement
about The fire. He was placed in the
wagon and taken to the Receiving Hospi-
tai. We did not know at the station the
extent OF the mans injuries. We could
see that his face was badly burned, but
his eyes did not seem to be injured. for he
could see we'll enough to walk to the sta
tion."
While Sergeant Shea was rolling Phelan
in the sand to extinguish the flames one of
the police officers on his beat turned in a
fire alarm. Little could be done to check
the progress of the flames on account of
the oils and paints in the buildings.
According to the statement subsequently
made by Pnelan ne was unable 10 sleep
and so went 10 the paintshop to mix some
colors. He had a candle in his hand
which he thought must have ignited some
beDZiDe. which exploded.
The building was wooden structure on
the site of the old Turn Verein Hall, which
was burned down about a year ago. The
force of the explosion was so great that
one of the doors was blown across the
street, and people in the neighboring
houses were Tudely awakened by the
shock. The iuflammabIe contents of the
ire which followed the explosion until
the building was ruined. mere she'll of
charred timbers remaining
The building belonged TO Richard and
Frank Egan. who conducted furniture
business under the name of Egan & Son
in one of the lower stores al 21l9 Mission
street. The other store, 2117. was leased
to Phelan for pain tshop. which he had
conducted for five or six months
The upper floor was used for lodge
rooms. and at the time OF the fire Y. NJ. l.
No. 129, Richardson's Lodge No 259, Order
of Good Templars. and Golden West Lodge
No. GIL, Equitable Aid Union, had their
headquarters there.
Everything, 1t is claimed. is q total loss,
the goods in the furniture store. the fur
nishings and piano for the lodgerooms
upstairs a'd the stock of paints and oils.
Egan IL Son estimate their loss on the
building at $500, on the goods in the fur
niture store destroyed, and on the piano
and furnishings of the lodgerooms at $780,
The Insurance is for $1,000 on the building,
$500 on the stock In the furniture store
and $500 ON the piano and furniture in the
lodgeroOms.
PheIan had his stock of paints and oils
insured for $1,000.
d. Carroll. who keeps the grocery-store
in the adjoining building, 2l21 Mission
street, claims to have sustained a damage
of $1,000 to his stock of goods by smoke
and water. The goods were insured for
$50.
S. Jonas owns the building at 2121 Mis-
sion street, and he and his family occupy
the upper floor. which was somewhat dam
aged by fire and the furniture injured by
water. The loss has not been adjusted as
yet. Jonas was injured. de held policies
for $3.50 on the building, $3.50 on house.
hold furniture, $50 on wearing apparel,
$50 on frame sheds in the rear, and 500
OH a windmill, frame and tank in the back
yard, which were scOrched by the flames.
The building at 2115 Mission street. used
as a retail buIcher-sbop, kept by A. Kratz,
and known as the Eureka meat-market.
was damaged by the fire. The loss has not
been estimated, but is covered by $500 OF
insurance.
The regalias, books and properties of
the orders which had lodgerOoms in the
building were completely destroyed.
When Phelan reached the Receiving