The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-11-07

Guiding prevented and repetition of
the j. d. Hooker conflagration averted.
Besides the laundry at least three other
firms and persons suffered smaller loss
es. The mandatory of Russell &
Wilson, makers of ladies' straw and felt
hats, was entirely destroyed; the prem
were drenched with water and the lodg
ing house of Mrs. Nellie Furlong was
damaged by smoke and rough usage.
The burned building stands at the
northeast corner of Los Angeles and
Winston streets, having a frontage of
three lots on Los Angeles street, Nos.
42O 422 and 424. 1t is three stories in
height, built back solidly to an alley 100
feet in the rear. In reality there are two
buildings, the large one on the corner
and a smaller one adjoining it, a fire wall
intervening. The smaller portion was
built to a height of three stories only half
the depth of the lot, the lower floor, how
ever, extending back to the alley. This
is No. 420, and was occupied by the hat
factory office and the Office of the cream
cry company in the first floor;the lodg-
ing house of Mrs. Furlong in the two
upper stories and the basement by the
machinery used in making the butter,
ice cream and other goods manufac-
tured by the creamery.
The main building was occupied by the
laundry. On the ground floor in front
were the Offices, in the rear the heavy
machinery, engine room, etc. The
second floor was used for ironing, a dry
room and light machinery. The third
story was vacant in front, but space
% feet in depth at the rear was used as
the hat mandatory. 1t was in this por-
ton that the fire started and spread.
How the flames originated is as yet a
mystery, as at $3.50, when the factory
was closed for the night. everything
was all right; thirty minutes later the
whole upper story was ablaze.
All the employees Of the laundry save
the book keeper and Sam Cozad. the
engineer, had gone home. Cozad was
in the front office when he thought he
to investigate. Just then some one tap
ned at the window and cried out that
the upper floor was on fire. Up the stairs
the engineer rushed, taking a line OF
hose from the fire plug with him, and
opened the door Of the room. One glance
sufficed to show him that he could not
hope to cope with the flames which mad
already gained great headway ana il'ieu
the whole rear end of the room.
He tried, however, to use his hose, but
in a moment the large skylight in the
roof fell in, the compressed air blew OUT
the window glass and the roaring names
leaped out of every opening Cozad could
stand it no longer. and fled down the
stairs. Meanwhile the glare OF the
flames had been seen by a number OF
passers by someone shot off revolver
Ave or six times, the small boy yelled
with all his lung power, three different
persons at. widely separated points
turned in alarms from boxes IL, ~ and
80 and the fire was on In earnest
The department was very slow in get
ting to the scene, and the flames had
been burning fully fifteen minutes be-
fore the apparatus was placed in po-
sition to work. The delay was caused by
an alarm which had called the engines
to the corner of First and Hill streets,
only few minutes before. The fires had
been pulled from under the engines
boilers and no time was accorded to lay
new ones Some of the apparatus had
not reached the stations, others had just
unhitched. Considering the situation
and the fact that several engines had to
fire up after getting to the scene stream
was turned on In short order.
But this delay was dangerous, for be-
fore drop of water had been thrown
on the building the fire had eaten it's
way forward and burst from the win
dows on the Los Angeles street front
Those who were on the scene at the
discovery OF the blaze agree that the
fire originated in the northeast corner
Of the upper floor. where the work room
Of the hat factory was located. Piled
near by was a large stock of straw
braids and hat materials, which fed the
flames and caused an intense heat. The
front portion of the third story being
vacant, with no inflammable material,
the fire made slower progress than in
the rear.
<xxs-
wore among the first on the ground. and