The San Francisco call., 1897-11-25
FLERCELY
RACED THE
WILD FLAMES
Oakland Sacred Heart
Church Property
Destroyed.
FIRE OF INCENDIARY
ORIGIN.
The Blaze Communicated1t to
4 CIergy-HOuSe and Girls
School.
THE WATER SUPPLY GAVE
OUT.
Little II Anything Saved From the
Fire-A Valuable Statue
Destroyed.
FIRE OF INCENDIARY
ORIGIN.
The Blaze Communicated to
/ CIergy-HOuse and Girls
School.
THE WATER SUPPLY GAVE
OUT.
Little II Anything Saved From the
Fire-A Valuable Statue
Destroyed.

FierceIy raging flames lass night de-
stroyed the Sacred Heart Church corner
OF Fortieth and Grove streets, Oakland,
the clergy no use and the girls school Ii
Is believed to have been Of incendlary or
isin.
The priests connected with the church,
Fathers Serda and Scanlan, went in to
Oakland early last night to attend a lec-
ture delivered by the Rev. P. {. Yorke OF
this city. On their return nothing un-
usual was noticed, and they retired.
A about Il o'clock they were awak-
ened by the ringing of the church bell
and wild crles OF "Firel Fire!' Father
Serda was the first 10 be aroused, and
throwing open his window he noticed a
b.aze in the rear Of the church Hastily
awakening his household he went out to
heIp fight the flames, which were rapidly
getting Roadway.
Ihe Fire Department soon arrived on
the spot, anu the men worked like heroes
10 save the building but all to no purpose,
as 1t was old and the dry wood burned
HsA tindar.
add TO the ficulties the water sup
which at best Is very scant in that
ci, soon gave out and the bremen
7Ner5 obliged TO leave the noble edifice.
where the prayers and praises to God
have been sounded for the past twenty
years 10 its late and bend all their efforts
toward saving he aG joining buildings.
This task also proved futile, as the
flames soon communicated to the clergy
house Immediately ad joining.
The flames mere burst out with such
fe csness that no effort was made to
quench them, and what title water could
Ue obtain was at once turned on the
school building, which adiOins the churcn.
But 10 pour water on building alongside
these raging furnaces was useless, and
while the ou:s de of the bun ding WIS COM
pletely drenched it soon took fire on the
inside owing TO the fierce heat from the
burning buildings Immediately surround
ing it.
The sight was now one of terrible
grandeur. The sky was com pletely over
cast and the three torches cast a glow
over the landscape for miles. The at
mosphere was perfectly still, and the
flames, now shooting high in air,
now sizzling, cracking and de-
vourIng all within their reach,
cast a glow over the town of Oakland.
Alameda and Berkeley, which could
easily be distinguished on this side of the
bay, while the dense clouds of smoke
totally obscured such few stars as had
made their way through rents in the
clouds, and showers of sparks and burn
IL. brands mcmentarIly threatened new
Viaa gers in the twin cities across the bay
ne loss on the buildings will be very
heavy, as almost everything was de-
stroyed, and there was very little insur-
ance The only thing saved from the
church was the vestments and the blessed
sacraments, which some unknown hero
brought out at the risk of his life while
statue of the Blessed Virgin. considered
the finest in the State, was destroyed.
The loss on The church is estimated at
fully $1,000, while the insurance is bul
$1,000; on the clergy house, $25O0-insur-
ance $I200; school, $45O0-insurance $1,000
The loss Will, perhaps, be felt more
keenly as the Clergy had been congratu-
lating themselves that, after hard strug-
gle. the church has been cleared of debt
and they were preparing for a winter OF
vigorous, aggressive work with no mill
stone Of debt around their necks.
In an interview with a CALL reporter
this morning Father Serda spoke as fol-
lows:
Many sleepless nights 1 have spent
planning for that church, and now some
ilI-minded person las destroyed it all in
an hour. No natural agency eau ed that
fire. 1t was most certainly started by a
fend, for what purpose God only knows.
Only a month ago we had a very sue
cessf1I church fair and raised about all Of
our debt, and we were congratuiatlng
ourselves that We were out OF the woods,
and now all our work is undone-
"Ihad just come from Father Yorke's
lecture and was resting when saw the
flames. l cried out The church is on fire,
and then rushed out to warn the Others.
In ten minutes the church was doomed,
anl IN half an hour it was destroyed. L.
L. unhappy welcome to my Thanks
gVmg. which l ihought was to be one OF
TN happiest of my li:e."
BY o'clock he buildings were COM
Ilsteiy destroyed. The large church is a
mass OF asle not stick is lett standing,
and the clergy -ho%se and school are total
wrecks. Some OF the furniture was saved,
but it viii cut no figure in the total loss.
Father Serda's estimates ara as follows:
Sacred Heart Church, S1s, 900; furnishings,
$500; clergy house. $1,000; furnishings,
$1,000; Sacred Heart hall and school. $4,000;
furnishings, $1,000: total loss, $3l, 700; total
Insurance, $4,000.