Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-28
HIG FIRE ~ SAN FRANCISCO.
For some Time 10 Was Beyond Con-
troi--pumorcd Fatalities.

SAN FRANCISCO. cal, June G.-The
worst fire san Francisco has had IN over
thirty years started shortly before 6
O'Clock In the rear OF the San Francisco
Box-Factory. located al Eth ana Harri-
son streets. Before the department reached
the place the flames had swept through
number Of buildings on Fourth street,
which backed into the box-factory, ana
leaped across the street 10 The Southern
Pacific hay barns \ second alarm was
TUNED I'm. only to be followed by "A third
and fourth in rapid succession.
Chief Sullivan was one Of the first TO
reach the scene and realized the danger
at a glance. Before one half of the de-
partment had connected their lines II
was seen the fire was entirely beyond con-
troll Word was tclegraphed across the
bay at Oakland and Alameda for as
sistance The sistcr-cities quickly re-
sponded with two engines eacn. They
were located along the waterfront and
used as pumps to supply water from the
bay. The Southern Pacific pumps had
lines Of hose connected. and did good
work in bringing salt water to supply the
fast-weakenng fresh-water mains. \
strong wind was blowing from the west,
and famed the flames across the broad
streets, sweeping everything in its path.
HEAVY EXPLOSION.
Shortly after the second alarm -
turned in a heavy explosion shook the
city. and 1t IS said that four kegs OF pow
der STORED In one Of the big warehouses
OF the Southern Pacific blew up. Heavy
embers were whirled through the air
for blocks These landed on light frame
buildings farther east. and I'm short
tim- the fremen were practically hemmed
-.
For time it looked as though the
fire would he gotten under control. The
wind gradually died down. but the sue
ton OF the now roaring acres OF infamma-
BILE material continued 20 carry embers
three end four feet Ions, through the air.
Shortly after Z O'Clock the wind suddenly
changed 20 the east and drove the names
back over the burning district.
The following are some OF the build
ings destroyed. IA euler furniture-manu-
factory, George ". Phclan. wagon ana
truck manufacturer. Capital bON-iactOry;
Fremont Hotel: l. II. Small. iron foundry;
VanGerberg q Lewis. stair-builders; Com
mcrcal feed-mlls. Independent feed
mill: Irwin +. Neihauf. hardware: Au-
gust StcinmetZ: Becker q Hillman. fur
uiture factory: Custom fecd-mills. Gar
rick Williams & Wriehts boN-factory.
Ut I'D the IRE was EtittH NNAfi t'htiN
The high brick wall Of the deserted
Southern Pacific offices at Fourth and
Townsend streets acted as a barrier over
which the flames could not work. The
water from the bay from the Oakland en-
gines and the Southern Pacific pumps
soon had the outer edge ~ the flames sub
dued.
REPORTED FATALITIES.
During the progress q the fire al sorts
of rumors we're current. II WIS reported
that when the powder exploded several
persons had Been killed. but this is
hardly true.
About o'clock II was reported that
several tramps who had been seen 10
enter one of the blk lumber-yards early
In the evening had been cremated when
the fire swept through the piles Of lum-
Der.
Several firemen were injured by falling
timbers. but none are reported killed.
Three Gremcn were overcome by the heat
and taken TO a hospital.