The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-28
EAST OF FOURTH.
A Brick Building, Space and Bat
tie in the Center of
Block.

BLOCK
The course of the fire up freedom street
was extremely rapid. This little thorough
fare which runs from the middle OF one
block across Fourth street and half way
across the next block, lay almost in the
center of the path of the fire. The west
ern end Of Freelon street reached into the
nest of factories and lumber piles in the
center of the block, which were first seized
on by the flames. The street was lined
with cheap and generally old one and two
story houses tenanted by working people
who wanted cheap rents. So fast did the
fire race up freedom street to Fourth that
few families had a chance to save anything
but themselves.
The blaze ran as rapidly along Brannan
to Fourth, and ii also swept through the
section OF the same block between Freelon
and Welsh streets, the latter being little
thoroughfare running a similar course
with Freelon into the same two blocks.
The fire rushed the tiremen. police and
others ont of Freelon and Welsh streets
into Fourth, and for few moments only it
seemed that the conhagration might be
stayed at Fourth street. 1t was but half
hour after the first alarm was turned in
windows along the west side of Fourth
street and wrapping the corners of the
buildings. 1t seemed but a moment
afterward that the fire burst into the
street so fiercely that it was plainly seen in
an instant that the opposite block would at
least partly go. Two engines working on
Fourth street were barely saved, and in
three minutes from the time the fire
reached Fourth street the opposite build
ings took fire and burned like tinder-boxes
The wind was then sweeping the fire east
ward, and engines were rushed to wind
ward.
The main battle was transferred to the
block bounded by Third, Fourth, Bryant
and Brannan streets, and for a time it
seemed that the fight in that block would
be as hopeless as it had been in the
block already doomed. Freelon street
was still the center of the course of
the fire eastward. and it was
in that street that the hardest battle, and
the successful one that finally checked the
conhagration, was fought. Lines OF hose
were run down Freelon street, as well as
Welsh and Brannan, to meet the advanc-
ing tames and for time the efforts OF
the french were wholly futile. House
after house on Freelon street was Quilted
by the flames, which seized the next one a
few minutes later, and it was not until the
fire had made its way third of the dis
tance across the block that a successful
stand was made. On Brannau street the big
brick wine cellar on one side and vacant
space on the other enabled the firemen
10 check the advance of the fire along that
thoroughfare, and this made freedom street
the principal battle-ground, for it was
along the rows of those same one and two
story houses in that street that the fire was
advancing through the block with the
greatest danger. District Engineer Dough-
erty realized the critical situation and sent
his men into a valiant battle. Streams
were concentrated on two houses on OBJ
posite sides of Freelon street, and, aided
by a fortunate lull in the wind, the fire.
men at last gained control at about SIS
P. NJ. A similar battle with the fire had
been waged on Welsh street, though the
fire had been kept on one side of this
thoroughfare.
The four corners of Brannan and Fourth
streets were fiercely ablaze at the same
time, and there, as on Freelon street, it
seemed for time that the fremen had a
hopeless battle to wage. On the south
side of Brannan street three wooden struc-
lures soon brought the fire to the big
three-story brick wine-vaults of S. Lach-
man d Co., and it was this building alone
that saved the Pacific Box Fac
tory, the big fruit cannery and the
other large industries and buildings
eastward on Brannan street. On
the opposite side of the street there was
fortunate space between the bull dings on
the corner and the three-story frame
building occupied by the Mechanics
Hotel, and this space was another thing
that enabled the fremen to stay the fire
on Brannan street.
From the houses on freedom, Welsh and
Zoe street in that block families rushed
part OF their household effects and made a
picturesque scene of excitement and
hustle. Many families will sustain losses,
severe to them, by the damage to furni-
ture.
Among the residents on the half block
OF Freelon street, west of Fourth, who were
burned out, sustaining total or partial
losses of household effects, are the follow
ing: James Kemena, John Fleming, Mrs.
Z. McGrath Mrs. Keefe. c. Scowartz, Mrs.
Sweiger, insured for $500; Mrs. Kease
owner of the house at 100 and Ill Freelon;
Mrs. Deneen, grocery; Frank Cunet. Sew