The San Francisco call., 1897-07-06

not sleep during the night The district
destroyed and damaged lies in the heart
OF the block bounded by Sacramento, Cali.
fornia, Jones and Leavenworth streets.
The fire started in The two-story cottage
owned and occupied by Mrs. Marguerite
Kerrigan at l2 Leroy place. The build
ing was old and burned like tinder, and
In very short time it was in mass of
flame. Adjoining on either side were two
small two-story frame cottages that
quickly caught and, famed by strong
westerly wind, soon spread the blaze to
half dozen houses in the neighborhood.
Number was occupied by Mrs. Mary l..
McAvoy, and the whirling wind drove the
flames through the structure in less than
three minutes to the home OF Mrs. w
Snadden and Mrs. Ford of 10 and 101l
Leroy place.
By this time the neighborhood was
alarmed and an alarm of fire was sounded
from box 12S. The horses of the depart
ment were put TO their highest speed for
the blaze could be seen all over the City.
AS soon as Chief Sullivan arrived on the
scene he saw there was no time for either
delay or trifing, so he ordered second,
and little later a third alarm to be
sounded. This brought out nearly the
whole department. Before the last arriv-
ais reached the hill the fire had gained
headway that threatened 10 destroy the
east half of the block.
The wind took whirl and blew the
flames to the west, and minute or so
later the three-story residence of John
Golden was mass OF flames. This house
is Golden place, small alley that was
named after Mr.. Golden. At No. l. in
the same place, was another tbree-story
dwelling, occupied by three.fa miles, and
| a in ~ In
short time these dwellings were wrapped
in flames that euuted them completely,
leaving only the shells standing.
next 10 go in the whrlwind of fire
was the residence of James Shield at 13
Leroy place, owned by K. Dennis Of 1417
Sacramento street AS the fire swept
along it consumed the homes of George
Bell at II and Mrs. Morris of Leroy
place. While not burned to the ground,
both houses were so badly damaged that
they cannot be rebuilt. They are owned
| by w. Morrison.
Again the wind took a turn and
swung around, placing the houses on
Hyde street in great danger, for the fire
! was sweeping through the Golden prop
erty like fury. There were three families
in No Mrs. George Murphy, A Barnes
and Benjamin Jackson-and thev escaped
with but little of their household effects.
! Nearly all of Golden's effects were de-
stroyed. In the lower part of the Golden
| house was family named Smith, a bar
Der, who also lost all of his furniture.
Once more the wind changed and the
! full force OF the blaZs was swept against
the houses facing on Sacramento street,
SIX OF which narrowly escaped total de-
struction. 1t required all the efforts OF
the firemen to prevent this from happen
ing. The first in the line was the resi-
dence OF Mrs. Marv a. Vance OF 1923 Sac
ramento street The lower part of the
| house is occupied by Frank Sargent, who
| fortunately had $500 insurance on his
house hold effects. The building which is
owned by a Mrs. Mcdonald, was badly
burned n the rear. The al joining house,
! 1323% Sacramento street. Jared a similar
fate, out was saved in time. The same
may be said of Nos. 1926, occupied by Mrs.
| Hill, and 1927, owned and occupied by j.
! w. Bence. The rear OF 1889, occupied by
E +. Ball, was also badly burned
Mr.. Ball estimates his damage at $500
In all of these places the damage by water
| was very great, but the exact amount OF