The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-12

Department was called out on general
alarm. The other occasion was also the
destruction of furniture.
At FIVE minutes before seven O'Clock
several people passing on Mission street,
between Third and Fourth, saw the flames
in the top floor of the old Ixora Hall build
ing, a three-story structure, playing havoc
with the furniture. 1t seemed as though
the top story was ahame from the front to
the rear. As soon as Acting Chief Engi-
neer Dougherty reached the place he saw
that active measures had to be resorted to
or the whole block would go up in smoke
and second alarm was turned in.
Although confined in one large fire.
proof brick building there was great dan
ger OF it leaping the bounds and more APP
paratus was necessary, SO the third call
for help was sounded. In little while
thousands of gallons or water were being
poured into the windows, and from the
top floor it ran in torrents to the stores be-
low.
The second story was occupied by the
same firm as a furniture storehouse, while
below were the following business places:
No. TAI Mission street, the American
Varnish Company, Charles 6. Schrasfer
proprietor, and with him Frank La Faille,
an oil and varnish agent.
No. 735, the Woodbine saloon. Fred
Willie proprietor.
No. 733, the Union Undertaking Com.
pany, w. j. Mallady proprietor.
These places were literally flooded and
In some instances the damage by water
Will be heavy.
AS stated, the fire was in the third story,
but 1t did not take long to work It's wav
through the floor into the second story.
where the infiammable nature of the stock
and large quantities of oil and yarnish in
tensified the heat and made many think
that it would escape from the control of
the firemeu.
The latter did heroic work. under the
cool command of Chief Doughertv, in the
face of aggravating obstacles.
In the first place the evening wind was
blowing a gale. Z en- there were trolley
wires of the Mission street cable cars. and
perfect network of telegraph, telephone
and the dangerous electric light wires. In
the midst of all these rose the tall water
tower, and although the stream was fire.
quently split by the distractions named
il performed noble service. At the foot of
the tower stood the Siamese which con-
centrated the streams OF several steam en-
gines.
The hook and ladder boys were not idle
by any means, for they quickly mounted
the roof of the parsonage of the old How
ard PRESBYTERIAN Church on the east
and the California Spring Manufacturing
Company's building on the south, and
from both directions powerful streams
were brought in play.
On the Minna street side the fremen
were equally active playing from the roofs
of the buildings. All OF this time Captain
Comstock's fire patrol boys were saving
property by removal or applying rubber
blankets.
About 30 o'clock the fire was literally
drowned out, and without having been
able to escape from the building.
This is the second time the old Ixora
Hall building has been in flames, the first
time being about seven years ago, when a
quantity of furniture was destroyed on
the top floor At that time the dancing
hall was on the second story.
The building is a part Of the Shlels es-
tate, the ground being owned by William
Tischmeacher. The Doernbecher Furni-
ture Company has occupied the second
and third stories for several years, and
with this firm was the agency OF the Sam