The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-12-30
San BernardinO Has a
Narrow Escape From
Destruction.
Property Valued at $75, 900 Is
Licked Up Within a Few
Minutes.
Timely Assistance Comes From the
NeighbOring Townsville Losses
and Insurance.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

SAN BERNARDINO, Dec. 2e.-The
most disastrous fire that ever visited
this city broke out this afternoon at
4:S0 in the Whitney Planning Mill. and
in an incredibly short space Of time
the entire structure was IN ruins. In
the yard adjoining the mill on the
south side was stored an immense
quantity of lumber, which became ig-
nited, burned fercely and dehed all
the efforts of the fire department and
an immense bucket brigade to create
the least impression on it or stay its
progress.
On the corner Of the block directly
south of the burning mill stood st.
Johns Episcopal Church, a splendid
structure and the pride Of the city.
Within a moment it was doomed and
no power on earth, it seemed, could
stay the flames. A fierce north wind
added to their fury and created a
blast that would have melted stone or
iron as easily as wood.
To the east of the church were the
splendid residences of James Murray,
County Assessor A. G. Kendall and
Joseph Marks. Willing hands attempt
ed to save their household goods, but
so fierce were the flames that not a
1.-THE Of the articles was removed.
Such effects as were taken out were
piled in an indiscriminate mass on the
street, upon which the flying embers
settled, adding to the CONSERVATION
prevailing.
Assistance was finally asked of Red
lands, Cotton and Riverside, and with
the help Of Chief Engineer Perris OF
the Southern California Railroad an
engine standing on the track at River
side was hitched to a flatcar upon
which hose carriage and willing men
to the conflagration. In twenty-five
minutes they covered the fourteen
miles and were soon at work.
On their arrival it was found that the
fire had crossed Fourth street, and
thence through to Court burning on
its way a few sheds until il settled
down in good shape on the residence of
Mrs. Abbott and the hardware houses
Of the Wilcox & Rose Implement
Company. Here 1t again spread. and in
a very short time all the buildings in
the block bounded by Court, E, Third
and F looked as if they were doomed,
the only hope to stay the flames being
the Harris block and st. Charles Hotel
on the south and the Drew block on the
west. ali brick buildings.
This fresh outbreak only added to
Tie pdIlCB anu MANY were bRc IGdTS
that the town was doomed. Flying
embers were carried a long way and.
settling on the roofs, kept the resi-
dents busy passing buckets of water
About this time the hose companies
from Cotton and Redlands arrived and
with them a hook-and-ladder truck,
and upon being stationed at convenient
places around the two fires they soon
had the flames under control.
The total loss far can he
mated, is $4,000, with an estimated in
surance of about $4,000 The indi-
vidual losses. as far as can be ascer-
tanned, are:
]. ]. Whitney, $4,000; insurance,
SS000
w. G. Wright. house and contents,
$1,000; insurance, $4,000.
Episcopal church, $4,000; insurance,
$4,000.
G. Kendall, house and contents,
$500; insurance, $500.
James Murray. house and contents,
$6500; insurance $4,000.
H. c. Rolfe, house and contents,
$500; insurance, $1,000.
Green estate, house and contents,
5000.
Skating rink, $500.
Wilcox & Rose. $4,000: insurance
$4,000.
Ray Woodward, house, $1,000: no in
Surance.
J. L. Porter, house, $1,000; insurance,
$780,
Mrs. Abbot, $500; no insurance
McAbee & Tate two houses, $500;
insurance, s1100.
John Ward, house, $1,000; insurance
$500
Joseph Marks $4,000; insurance, $780,
One of the greatest personal losses
suffered by one individual was that Of
w. G. Wright, who has devoted his life
to natural history collections, which
were in some features rare and known
to scientists throughout the country
These collections had a market value
of SIS, 900 or $4,000
The cause OF the fire was the over
turning Of a lighted lamp in the hands
of young Whitney while passing
through the mill.