The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-27
Scott & McCord'S Warehouse De-
stroyed a Third Time in
Three Years.
THE LOSS AMOUNTS TO $4,000
A Great Confiagration Averted by
Providence and Excellent Work of
the Department.

4 fire broke out on the water front last
evening at fifteen minutes past O'Clock
and destroyed the warehouse of Scott &
McCord for the third time in three years,
and did considerable damage to other
property. The total loss is estimated at
about $4,000.
The principal losers are Albert ". Scott
and John McCord, hay and grain
merchants. Their warehouse was q
two-storv corrugated iron structure
facing on East street at numbers 81, % and
d and extending through to Steuart street,
g hniIding IS feet 10 inches by 1877 feet
inches. It was stored full of hay, oats and
harley. Their loss, according to the esti-
mate Of Nj Scott, will amount to $4,000,
5000 each on stock and building. Other
losers are:
semle & Co., hquor-dealers, at 10 East street,
P. Comiskey. saloon, at Is East street, dam
age by water, $500
- East street, damage TO furniture and stock,
5000.
s. NJ. Gibson & Son. cooperage at 239 steuart
Yichael Lonergan, stable at 249 steuart,
damage 10 building $500.
The alarm was turned in from box 81.
BY the time the department reached the
scene the warehouse was enveloped in
flames and the prospect looked gloomy for
the whole block bounded by Howard,
Folsom, Steuart and East streets,
for the fire burned viciously. The dry hay
seemed 10 fare up as a warehouse full of
matches would have done so instantaneous
was the com bustion. The flames leaped
higher and higher and lighted up the
heavens until uptown people thought the
whole water front was in flames and came
rushing to the scene until thousands Of
people had congregated in the vicinity.
But the department did excellent
work. Engines were expeditiously
placed on the piers and at the
hydrants commanding the block, and
in ten minutes from the time the first
piece OF apparatus arrived streams were
playing from ten engines, and a few min
utes later the fire tug Governor Irwin, III
charge of Superintendent Haste, had
reached a berth in front OF the fire and had
four streams OF salt water going. The
water tower also did excellent service at
the Steuart-stTeet side. By $50 o'clock
the fire was under control and there was
no further danger OF its spreading, but had
there been a wind at the start the damage
would have been very great.
The cause Of the fire is a deep mystery
II started in the Scott & McCord ware
house, but Mr.. Scott, one of the partners,
said he was without a surmise as to how it
originated. I'VE were doing business as
usual during the day." said he, land was
there until after o'clock. The place was
always locked at the close of business at
$50. No one was supposed to have been
IN the building after that time, and | can
not imagine what could have been the
cause"
{ Michael Lonergan, proprietor of the
stable at PAT Steuart street, was in the sta
bic when the fire started. He said:
heard cracking noise in the warehouse q
sounded peculiar and went and cooked in the
window. | saw the spare space filled with
smoke and knew it was fire. / ran back to the
stable, which lease to the san Francisco Trans
Ter Company, and ordered the men to remove
the horses and wagons, and then notified po-
Hceman. who turned in the alarm. have no
idea what started the FIRE.
People who were in the vicinity and saw
the first blaze say it broke through the
roof in a great sheet OF fame all at once
as though a fire had been smoldering in
the hay for a long time. 1t is possible,
therefore, that a cigarette or lighted cigar
had fallen or been thrown into the hay
before the place was closed for the night.
In Lonergan stable the San Francisco
Transfer Company had thirty horses, two
cows and 4 number OF vehicles. They
were all removed safely. as were two horses
owned by Scott & McCord which were in
a stable in the warehouse.
Fire Chief Sullivan directed the opera
tons OF the fremen on the Steuart-street
sice and his assistants, Shaughnessy,
Wills and Fernandez, conducted opera
tons on the water front, and SO well were
their efforts directed that the flames COM
municated but little to the buildings i'm
mediately against the warehouse on either
side.