The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-06
.F|REBUGS ARE At WORK,
Repeated Attempts to Burn
Houses Discovered by
Marshal ToWe.
In Both Places Coal Oil Was Used
Liberally-FireS After the
Fourth.

Fire Marshal Towe is busily engaged in
investigating what he thinks is deliber
ate ATTEMPT to burn a lodging-house at $50
Fourth street, which is kept by A. Dau-
phin. On last Wednesday night two efforts
were made to red uce the place to ashes.
About o'clock on that evening the pro-
prietor, while in the kitchen, heard the
sound of cracking flames which appeared
to be within the walls. He Immediately
began an investigation, and discovered a
blaze on the second floor. 1t was promptly
extinguished, but had it not been discov-
cred when it was the house would have
been destroyed.
A short time after that another fire was
discovered in another part of the building,
and in connection with that strong odor
of kerosene was detected. A pile of news
papers saturated with coal oil WAS found in
the room where the blaze was.
No further attempts have been made, but
the Fire Marshal is convinced that delib-
crate attempt was made to burn the house.
lie spent all yesterday searching for clews.
but up to last light had found none.
The fruitstore at 2i7 Scott street was set
on fire at Is A. NJ. yesterday and an exam
ination Of the premises showed that it was
saturated with coal oil. A man whose
clothes and hands were covered with oil
was caught by the Fire Marshal, but as yet
no arrests have been made.
The alarm from box 1856 brought the fire
department to the fruitstore kept by JOS
eph Ferris at 217 Scott street. 1t was
quick blaze and came near burning down
the whole neighborhood. The flames were
put out but not before the fire had spread
to the adjoining house, owned by Hugh
keenan, and occupied by Joseph Berry.
NJ Il L.. I'LL
burned store of Joseph Ferris he found the
contents saturated with coal oil. He at
once became satisfied that the fire was of
incendiary origin. Ferris was questioned,
and the odor of kerosene was noticed as
coming from his clothing. Towe asked to
see his hands and he refused to show them.
They were forced open and found to be
covered with coal-oll. He explained the
presence of the oil by saying he had got it
when attempting to save some OF his
property.
About an hour and half after the Scott
street fire an alarm was turned in from box
275 for blaze at 1910 Twentythird street.
This was far and away the most disas-
ferrous fire caused by fireworks. The house
was unoccupied. 1t was owned by P. Nc
Dewitt. Owing to the distance from the
engine-house and the scarcity of water the
entire house was burned down, and the adj
joining building, owned and occupied by
McDevitt, was damaged to the extent of
$500. The loss on the other building was
$1,000. A blazing stick from skyrocket is
supposed to have started the fire.
The San Francisco Gas Works on the
southwest corner of Howard and FIRE.
mont streets had narrow escape. There
was a leakage in one of the pipe connec
lions in a workshop, and when light was
put near it an explosion nearly wrecked
the place. The building caught fire and
was damaged to the extent of$300. One of
the workmen was burned, but not seri-
ously.
Firecrackers were the cause of the alarm
from box AZ at 6:28 A. NJ. A smoldering
piece of paper set fire to the roof of the
house at 366 OFarrell street, owned by
Mrs. Hampton and occupied by Mrs. A.
Tapken. The damage to the building and
contents was very slight. The same story
covers the fire at 2233 Geary street at 10 30
A. NJ. The place is owned by Ernest Dam
mas and the damage was only $40.
The alarm from box 40 last night was for
fire in laundry at 429 Suffer street,
caused by firecrackers. The damage was
slight.