The record-union., 1895-06-28

trOl. Inc nigh 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 furnished from the bay with Oak
land and Alameda engines soon had the
outer edge of the fire ubdued.
The fire wiped out everything in the
blocks bounded by Fifth, Bryant,
Bluxom and Third. Some of the build
Ings fronting on Third were badly
scorched, but not totally destroyed.
Inc lack OF water IS given by Chief
Sullivan as one OF the reasons why the
fire gained such headway. Some of the
mains did not have water enough in
them for engines TO throw stream to
the top of one-story building. The fire
gained Roadway so rapidly that many of
the fire engines were scorched before
they could be gotten to place OF safety.
Thousands OF feet of hose were lost.
The heat was SO great that the car
tracks along Fourth street were warped
so badly that they cannot be Strengthened
for use again.
The families who lost their homes are
camped III the vacant houses in the ad join
neigh borhood, which the fire fail 10 reach.
1t IS likely some steps will be taken to-
morrow tor their relief.
There were many exciting inciting in
cidents during the progress of the fire.
Thomas Hogan, whose mother resided in
cheap lodging-hOuse on Fourth street,
arrived at the ire alter it had lgnited the
building in which his mother lived. He
supposed she was still there and at
tempted to enter the burning structure.
He fought like a mailman when the po-
lice prevented his getting into the build
ing. The officers had their hair singed
by the flames while struggl. ng with him
near the entrance. His mother had es-
capped.
The employees of S. Lachman & Co.,
whose winery is at 403 Brannan street,
near Fourth, adopted heroic measures
when the ire approached the large brick
building where thousand OF gallons of
wine are stored. Across the winery yard
is the Pacific Box Factory, where large
quantities OF lum Der are stacked. Sparks
and burning material carried on the wind
fell i'll showers upon the dry wood and
threatened to start the fire east of the
brick winery. Water in tanks on both
buildings was soon empiied, and the
men were unable to draw any from the
Spring Valley pipes, and it locke for a
time as though a ire would break out in
spite of all care. at this point the wine
men came forward and attached long
wo-inch hose TO an S,000-galIon tank OF
claret wine that is perched upon a shed
outside of the winery. For nearly an
hour this supply Of costly liquor held
out, and over hall an acre of lumber and
dry roofs were drenched with wine.
There was thrilling scene while the
convent and parochial school attached to
St. Roses Church were in flames. A few
moments before the roof fell i'll q boy
was seen at one of the upper windows.
\ cry Of horror went up from the crowd,
and the fremen yelled to the boy to
Jump. A blanket was hold out, but just
then the flames and smoke enveloped
lylI ft0
roof fell in with a crash. Every body
thought the boy was lost. The firemen
say the boy jumped, however. and the
blanket breaking his fall he escaped with
a severe shaking and few burns.
The convent, parochiai school and the
new st. Roses Church were all COM
plete loss. The latter was a new build
ing and not quite complete, but now all
that remains of it are the brick walls.
Tie property was on Brannan street.
near Fourth, and Rev. Father ID. +. Nu-
gent was the rector. The church cost
ABOUT S20.000 and the loss will probably
be covered by insurance. In the con-
vent, where the Sisters of Holy Name
taught about 500 children. everything
was lost.
Assistant Chief Dougherty, by his
presence of mind, saved one of his men
from death. The walls of the Horstman
soda-water works were tottering, and the
fireman was at work, all unconscious of
his danger. Several men called TO him,
but he did not near. 1t was then that
DOugherty rushed in and pulled his sub
ordinate to place OF safety. Both were
knocked down by falling mbers, but
they continued at work as though nothing
had happened.
Second Assistant Chief George w. Ken
nard had a narrow escape from being
severely injured. Just as he was leaving
the building known as the Great Eastern
and Western Horse and Mule Market,
the heavy cornice over the front entrance
fell and struck him on the back of the
head and neck, knocking him to the
ground with crash. Luckily the casing
struck the fireman's cap worn by Ken
nard and the force of the blow was
broken.
During the progress Of the fire on
Fourth street, there was a terrific OK
plosion that shook the buildings and
staggered many in the assem- bled crowds.
On investigating. it was found to be
small steam boiler in French laundry,
at 500 Fourth street. The force Of the ex
plosion sent about half ton OF boiler
lying through three buildings. This
piece lodged in Shirley's Hotel, corner OF
Walsh street. So great was the shock
that all the windows near by were blown
out.
"A large uUElUST vi DOOT pSOpl6 WHO
were homeless tonight were among the
women and children employed at the
California Cannery. Most of the en-
ployes of this cannery live in the neigh
borhood, and many have been waiting
long for the cannery TO start up. Next
month 200 will be employed, and many
more women and girls belonging to the
burned out families will be at work.
As soon as the critical time for the
Gil of
and the flames seemed under control,
Isidor Jacobs, President Of the California
Cannerles Company. announced that he
would head with 500 a subscription for
those who were made homeless. To-day
is the weekly payday of the cannery,
and S2, 800 will be distributed.
The Pacific Canneries, like the Pacific
Box Factory, next to IL on Brannan
street, was saved from the effects of the
showers of cinders by hard efforts of en-
plOyes and others. lSidor Jacobs Presi-
dent Of the company, was there when
that block seemed certainly doomed, and
quickly had fires going under the boil
ers, with the result that steam fire pumps
were soon in operation. Before this was
accomplished, an S0.000-gallon tank of
water on the roof was broken, quickly
| flooding the roof.
On the south side of Bryant street, from
| Fifth to Fourth, a line of factory buiId-
! ings and residences-a few destroyed, but
most of them saved-stand to Indicate the
obIong lines of the tre-swept block
where the fire started and ragged fiercest.
| BY an odd caprice of the wind they es-
capped destruction. although few of the
buildings were destroyed.
Washburne's stables. at 663 BRYANT
street, a rickety frame structure that has
not been tenanted for some time, was de-
stroyed. George w. Phelan's carriage
factory escaped.
yard, adjoining Pnelan's carriage factory,
had a rather fortunate escape. Most of
their great lumber piles were saved, and