The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-07
FIREMEN PERISH AT A FIRE.
FALLING WALL CRUSHEs THREE
MEN TO DEATH.

One of Them Had Previously Had His
others TO Carry Him Away in
Their Arms-WhiIe Two COmpan-
ions Were Waiting with Him For
n shutter the wall Collapsed and
killed All Three.
San Francisco, Cal, June GA fire in
the southeastern part of the city at noon
to-day cost three firemen their lives and
enacted a property loss of 100000.
The killed are:
Joseph N. MAHONEY of chemical en-
CINE, No. g.
FRANK KELLER, steward of hose cart
No. 2.
JAMES MAILMAN, driver of truck
No 1.
The fire started mysteriously in the
four-story brick building owned by Scotch
& Westerfeld and leased to the Standard
Biscuit Company. Work in the factory
ceased for the week at $50 yesterday af-
ternoon and so far as known the only oc-
cupants of the building this morning were
John Erwin, the bookkeeper, and W.
Cook, the cashier, who were at work in
the office.
Cook departed at II and Erwin was still
occupied with his books at noon when
fireman rushed in conveying the informa-
ton that the building was ablaze in the up
per stories. Erwin had been unconscious
of the fire, which had been observed but
a few minutes earlier by several pass
ersby.who were startled by a sudden burst
of flames in the fourth story.
After the first larm, the fire chief turned
in a second and general alarm. stiff
breeze famed the fire within the brick
walls, caused it to spread with extraordi-
nary rapidity, and it was soon apparent
that the interior of the structure would
be entirely destroyed.
Adjacent to the brick factory was a row
OF old buildings, including branch of
the Salvation Army barracks and the
southern police station. These seemed
doomed Fortunately the police station
contained only three prisoners, but the
terrified yells and appeals of the trio to
be liberated caused intense excitement
among the gathering crowds. They were
transferred as quickly as possible to the
central station,
Meanwhile, floor after floor of the
cracker factory fell in, rendering the walls
unsafe The east wall of the factory top
pied over, and then a wavering sheet of
flames spread over the area adjoining.
With the crash of the east wall occur
red the tragedy of the conhagration. A
score of firemen were in an adjoining
paint shop endeavoring from that spot
to check the spread Of the flames.
A falling timber struck Fireman Mahoney
on the leg, breaking it. He refused
to allow his comrades to carry him away
in their arms, insisting that he must be
borne off on a shutter. All but the band
of firemen ran to procure a shutter, and,
just as they left their injured comrade
the wall fell, burylng beneath a mass of
brick and mortar Mahoney and his faith
full friends. By dint of much dangerous
labor, the three bodies were recovered.
The loss to the brick building is esti-
mated at $4,000 with 100000 loss on the
contents, consisting of machinery and
stock. The damage to the salvation army
barracks is $1,000, and to the police station
the damage is nominal.
The biscuit factory was operated by a
corporation organized a year ago, and
transacted a large and prosperous busi-
ness. The cause of the fire is as yet un-
known.