Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-06-10
UNDER FALLEN WALLS
Three Firemen Killed at Fire In
San Francisco.
Marrow Escape From Similar Fate OF
Number of Others-Territied Appeals or
Prisoners Locked In Their Cells
and Who Feared Cremation.

SAN FRANCISCO, June IA hire IN
the southeastern part of the city at
noon yesterday cost three iremen their
lives and entailed property loss OF
500, 600.
John Mahony, of chemical engine
No. 6.
Frank Keller, steward of hose cart
No. 3.
James Mailman, driver of truck No. l.
The fire started mysteriously IN the
four-storv brick block owned by
Schroth & Westerfield and leased TO
the Standard Biscuit Co. Work In the
factory ceased for the week at $50 Sat
urday afternoon, and so far as known
the only occupants of the building yes
day morning were John Erwin, the
boolx-keeper and w. Cook, the cashier
who were at work in the office. COOK
departed at IL, and Erwin was still oc-
cupied with his books at noon when a
fireman rushed in, conveying the IN
formation that the building was ablaze
in the upper stories. Erwin had been
unconscious of the fire, which had been
observed but few minutes earlier oy
several passers-by, who were startled
by sudden burst of flame 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 it to develope
with extraordinary rapidity, and IT
was soon apparent that the interior OF
the structure was doomed.
Adjacent to the brick factory was
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
prisoners, but the terrified yells and
appeals of the trio to be liberated
caused intense excitement among the
gathering crowds. They were trans
ferred as quickly as possible to the
central station.
Meanwhile, floor after floor of the
cracker factory fell in, rendering the
side walls unsafe. Then the east wall
of the factory toppled over and wav--
ing sheet of flames spread over the
wide wooden area adjoining.
With the crash of the east wall oc-
cured the tragedy of the conhagra-
ton. A score of firemen were on a
neighboring paint shop endeavoring
from that point to check the spread of
the flames. A falling timber struck
Fireman Mahony on the leg,
breaking it. He refused to allow
his companions to carry him away in
their arms, insisting that he must be
borne away on shutter. All but two
of the band of firemen ran to procure a
shutter, and just as they left their in
iured comrade the wall fell, burying
beneath a mass of brick and mortar
Mahony and his faithful friends. BY
dint of much dangerous labor the three
bodies We're recovered and sent with
police escort in as many wagons.
The loss to the brick building is es--
timated at $40, 600, with $50, 900 loss on
the contents, consisting of machinery
and stock. The damage to the Saliva
ton army barracks was $1,000 and to-
the police station the damage was
great. The biscuit factory was ope-
rated by corporation organized a
year ago, which was transacting a
large business. The cause of the fire
is as vet unknown.