Evening journal., 1895-06-28
SAN FRANCISCO ABLAZE.
Six Blocks Destroyed and ST.
100000 Damage Done.
Ire BURNED OVER SIX HOURS.

Fire Seen There For Years.
SAN Francisco, June 2s.-One Of the
must destructive fires known in san Fran
isco for years destroyed property worth
| 81 800, 600. Six blocks in the southern dis
| fiet were burned over, and the great
building Of the Southern Pacific company
wns at one time threatened
The fire broke out in the rear Of the
san Francisco box factory located on the
corner Of Fifth and Bryant streets. The
factory was two story frame building
lilled with inflanmable material The
l flames spread rapidly, and 1t soon became
apparent That o serious confagFation was
threatened. The first alarm was turned
ia from box No. SO, and it was immedi-
ately responded to by the department
"A second alarm was turned in upon tho
fire spreading to the I.iberty sofa works,
| adjoining on the other side Of the block
/ Within q few minutes The entire east end
Of the block bounded By Brannan and
Bryant streets was "a mass Of flames. a
strong southerly wind was blowing, and
q was doomed necessary to turn in a third
alarm. The flames soon spread all over
the blocls destroying in a few minutes
the yards Of tile Spring Valley water
works and the furniture factory Of H Eu-
ier- The box factory Of Kcrbell Brothers,
~ ls3 Bryant street, the stable Of II.
Washburn at 657 Bryant street. the car
riage factory Of G w. Phelan and the sofa
factory Of J. Horstmann were all destroy
ed Ia short order
The high wind famed the flames and
swept them on their mad rush, driving
the iiremen back by degrees, and the sit
nufign lpr14fa qriffaol ot,r. f5,,,a.....- i. .
flames stuck out from thc flaming mass
clear across the street, and from time to
timo the hose had TO be turned ON the
buildings which threatened to involve still
larger territory in tire coniagration Tho
tuemen were re-enf0reed by the full de-
partment by this time and fought man
fully 70 conilnc the fire within tho block
whore it originated
The Water supply Poor.
The whole Of the block bounded by
Fourth, Fitch, Brannan and BRYANT
streets was destroyed with the exception
Of the machine shops on the corner Of
Fourth and Bryant streets The fire then
spread toward Bluxom street. sweeping
on its way the lumber yard Of Van Wart,
on the corner Of Fourth and Brannan;
the Meehan Lumber company. on Bran
nan street. and various small machine
shops and tenement houses While the
department was struggling with the
llanes, which grew tiercer and fiercer ev-
cry moment every available resource ut
the command Of the Southern Pacific
Railroad company was drawn upon to
quench the fire.
The intense heat made it difficult TO
utilize 60 its fun capacity the water sup
ply, which was anything but sufficient
owing 60 the ususual number Of hydrants
called into play all over the district The
watcr tower rendered most efficient scrv-
ice, furnishing jet of water which could
be rendered scryiceable where the other
streams thrown upon the flames were
turned into steam before thoy had barely
left the nozzle. The Wright, Carrck a.
Williams box factory was entirely de-
stroyod
The houses along the line Of tho cross
streets surrounding the block bounded by
Fourth, Fifth, Bryant and Brannan streets
were an more or less in flames, with tho
fire working 70 the northWard across Bry-
ant street.
Miss Gilroy, while attempting to save
some Of her belongings, was covered with
burning oil and burned to death. "A
falling walls and flying timbcrs
The people in the neighborhood were
terror stricken. Most Of them were of the
poorer classes and madc great efforts to
save their small belongings. Express wag-
ons and drays We're at premium, and peo-
pie We're moving few blocks away from
the fire. Probably 100, 600 people gathered
at the fire, and the police werc powcrless
TO keep them away. The fire was SO hot,
however, that che crowd did not get near
enough TO be in serious danger.
Great Crowd Of Spectators.
During tho first two hours Of the fire
there was not much excitement ia the CITY,
but when it grew dark and the sky be-
came mass Of flames the people from an
parts Of the city rushed to the scene The
police could do nothing with the mob
which swept through the fire lines, and
the only impression made was when an
engine came tearing along the street, WHOM
tho mass Of humanity would part fight
ing and struggling TO get out of the way
Among the residents Of the fire district
there was q panic. Hundreds Of families
tried TO save their property and in many
instances had 60 be driven away 10y the
tlrcmcn. Lachman's huge winery was one
Oi tle NulluhnBN Niai stopped the progress
OF the fire. and when it was seen that even
that brick structure was on fire groan
went mp from the crowd Tho flames
caught at one corner Of the building aud
kept gradually gaining The firemen de-
serted everything else and concentrated
their efforts on this ono building hi that
went, nothing could save the railroad yards
and freight house Finally the wind
changed, and that, with the efforts Of the
tremen, saved the wine cellars, and the
worst Of the fight was over.
Much annoyance was experienced from
the trolley wires Tho intense heat warped
the iron posts, aud the wires were dropped
60 the ground. The tiremen We're afraid 60
go near them, and the crowd gave them q
wide berth. Finally the current was
turned off at the power house, and the
danger from that source was passed AT
midnight the fire was still burning. but
the danger was over, and the crowd went
home.
Defender Ready For Launching.
BRISTOL IT, L., June 2S-The work on