The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-06-07
THREE LIVES LOST
A Hundred Thousand Dollar Fire in
San Francisco.
BURIED UNDER THE DEBRIS
An Injured Fireman Refuses to Be
Removed Except on a Shutter
and In the Meantime Walls
Fall With Fatal Results.

San Francisco. June "a fire In the
cost three firemen their lives and en-
tailed property loss OF a hundred
thousand dollars. The killed:
John Maholey. of chemical engine
No. 6.
Frank Keller Steward. OF hose cart
No. ..
James Halligan. driver OF truck No. I.
The fire started mysteriously in the
four-story brick building owned by
schroth a. westerfeld and leased to the
standard Biscuit company. Work In
the factory ceased for the week at 5;3
o'clock yesterday afternoon. and so far
as known. the only occupants in the
building this morning We're John Erwin.
the bookkeeper. and w. Cook, cashier,
who were at work in the office. Cook
departed at IL o'clock and Erwin was
still occupied with his books at noon
when fireman rushed In conveying
the information that the building was
ablaze In the upper stories. Erwin had
been quite unconscious OF the fire, which
had been observed but few minutes
earlier by several passers-by. who We're
startled by a sudden burst Of flames in
the fourth story. After the first alarm
the fire chief turned in a second and
general alarm. A stiff breeze famed
the fire within the brick walls. causing
1t to develop with extraordinary rapidi-
~. and IL was soon apparent that the
interior of the structure would be en-
tirely destroyed.
Adjacent to the biscuit factory was a
row OF old wooden buildings, including
branch OF the Salvation army bar
racks and the Southern police station.
These seemed doomed. Fortunately the
police station contained only three pris-
oners. but the terrified yells and appeals
Of the trio to be liberated caused In
tense excitement among the gathering
crowds. They were transferred as
quickly as possible to the Central sta
tion.
Meanwhile fioor after fiooor of the
cracker factory fell in. rendering the
side waNs unsafe. Then the east wall
toppled over, and a waving sheet of
flame spread over the wide wooden area
adjoining. When the crash Of the east
wall occurred, a score OF firemen We're
in the neighboring paint shop. endeav-
oring from that point to check the
spread of the flames. A falling timber
struck Fireman MahoIey on the leg.
breaking Il. He refused to allow his
companions to carry him away In their
arms, insisting he must be borne of on
a shutter. All but two Of the band OF
firemen ran to procure a shutter. and
just as they left their injured compan-
ion the wall fell. burying beneath a
mass of brick and mortar Maholey and
his faithful friends. BY dint Of much
dangerous labor. the three bodies were
recovered and sent away with police
escort In as many patrol wagons.
The loss to the brick building Is esti-
mated at 10000. with $1,000 loss on the
contents. consisting Of machinery and
stock. The damage tn ,he Salvation
army barracks was 81 900. and to the
police station the damage was nominal
The biscuit factory was operated by a
corporation organized year ago and
reputedly transacting a large and pros
porous business. The cause of the fire
is unknown.