The record-union., 1896-08-24
YESTERDAYS $4,000 FIRE.
The Worst One Suffered Here in Several
Years.
Houses and Lumber Burned, Also a
Valuable Young Horse by
MONDAY.

Ihe city has experienced for many years
broke out in the block between Front
and Second. p and . streets, at O:30
O'Clock yesterday morning In less than
two hours SO, 900 worth of property
was reduced to ashes. The insurance
on the property it is understood, Will
cover only a small portion of the loss.
The fire originated in the carriage
barn of E. NJ. Leitch, No. 70 q street
It was first noticed by a lad named
Sprague, who gave the alarm to Z. j.
Lawrence, who had charge of Leitch's
valuable trotting stallion MONDAY,
which at that hour was locked in the
building.
A dense smoke was at that time issu-
ing from every crevice of the building,
and Lawrence Immediately proceeded to
break open one of the doors, which he
accomplished with a neck-yoke. He at
tempted to lead the stallion from his
STALL but the frenzied beast would not
move. He stood paralyzed with fear
until the flames consumed him. A news
paper route pony was also burned in an
adjoining stall.
The fire quickly spread from the tons
of burning hay to adjacent sheds, where
were stored thirty-five cords of oak
stovewood.
Fly the time a fire alarm was turned
IN and fire engine No. j was on the
ground the fire had extended to the
lumber yard of Richards e Knox. A
few moments later engines : and 3
arrived and We're pouring steady
streams of water upon the fire.
In less than fifteen minutes after the
alarm was sounded every fire company
in the city was at the scene of the con-
dagration, but despite their efforts the
intense heat of the burning piles of
hay, wood and lumber set fire to the
adjacent dwellings.
This was a time (6:55) o'clock when
the water was shut off at the Water
Works, and the usual signal given that
she fire was out, Chief Guthrie immedi-
ately hurried a messenger to Chief En-
gineer Wolf at the Water Works, tell
ing him that no signal for shut-otf
had been given, and that the fire was
still raging. For a time it appeared as
Il the whole block would be swept of
its buildings.
Tt being within the irrigating hours,
people everywhere had turned the
Wafer on their lawns, and it was some
minutes before an effective pressure
could be secured.
Engineer Wolf stated that he had re-
ceived two shut-off signals, one at 600
and another a few minutes later. He
can only account for this on the ground
that one of the alarm boxes was
burned and that in some way the fire
ficnd had sent in its own deceptive sig
nal.
The Southern Pacific Company's s
fire train did most efficient work sta
toned on the track On Front street,
and it's timely arrival was a material
factor in getting the flames under sub
lection.
In half an hour after pressure was
restored the fire was brought under
control by the heroic efforts of the
firemen. The three engines-No. } at
the corner of Front and z, and Nos.
1 and , on Second, between P and r
streets, We're kept at work until 10
o'clock a. m, and one engine remained
or the ground all day extinguishing the
fire which smouldered in the big piles
Of lumber.
Had there been a strong wind from
the south instead of only a gentle
breeze, the whole lumber district on
Front street would have been wiped
out AS it was, showers of cinders fell
thick a distance of five or six blocks
from the fire, but their progress in the
air was so slow that they were dead
before they dropped on the houses and
into the streets.
f. NJ. Leitch lost his large barn and
contents, including twenty-five tons OF
hay. four sets of harness, twenty-five
cords of wood, one carriage and four
carts. He also lost three tenement
houses, 1926, 1923 and 1880 Second
street. He estimates his loss at between
$4,000 and $4,000; insurance $4,000.
]. X Dias lost a house in the alley
and tenement house 1920 Second street
and houses 1916 and 1918 We're badly
damaged. His loss is estimated at
s. 600. There was an insurance Of
81 500 on all the buildings.
The loss of lumber, Richards & Knox
stated. could not be even estimated
yesterday 1t included their best sugar
pine and redwood lumber. The loss
might reach up to $4,000 or 10000
What insurance covered the lumber the
1lm was not prepared to state until
4heir books We're examined.
The furniture in the tenement houses
was all safely carried into the streets.
John Sylvia, occupying 1922 Second
street lost a valuable gold watch and
four gold rings which were stolen from
n dressing case by some miscreant. The
watch has his full name and that of
his wife engraved on the case.
Hartwell, Hotchkiss & Stalker, own
ers of the planning mill at Front and @
streets, also suffered some damage.