The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-16
WILL
DELAY THE
TRANSPORTS
Ships Fit ng Dam
aged by Water.
FIRE IN A MATTRESS FACTORY
THE COMPANY HAD A LARGE
GOVERNMENT ORDER.
Sparks From the Motor Cause the
Blaze-Valencia and Senator
May Have to
Wait.
FIRE IN A MATTRESS FACTORY
THE COMPANY HAD A LARGE
GOVERNMENT ORDER.

Sparks from the electric motor ignited
some silk floss in the wool room Oh tne
Bernhard Mattress Company, at 644 MIS-
sion street. shortly before O'CLOCK yes
terday afternoon, causing a nre WlIch uI0
$40 900 damage to the concern. Inc pIdAe
will probably delay the departure OF the
Government transports, as the nrm had
a large contract TO supply mattresses and
bedding for the vessels. 1t Will be sew
eral days before the factory can be oper-
ated, and the manufactured stock already
on hand was considerably damaged by
water and smoke.
The fire started Just about the time
when work was being shut down for the
day. Foreman f. H. Rice of the wool
room, which is in the top story of the
building told William Hall to shut off
the motor. which he did. AS the motor
slowed down a number of sparks were
emitted. The room was filled with fly
ing particles of silk floss which was be-
ing picked and some of this flew into
the motor and became ignited by the
sparks. In a minute the entire room was
in a blaze. The excelsior and other in
hammable upholsterlng stock quickly took
fire and burned like finder The en-
ployes in the wool room made an at
tempt to eXtinguish the flames, but find
ing their efforts unavailing sought safety
by retreat down the stars, which for
tunately were on the opposite side of the
room from where the fire started.
Joseph Ross, who was employed in the
storeroOm, ran to the water tower house
and had an alarm turned in from box
No. 61 AS soon as the department dr.
rived at the burning building 1t was seen
the flames under control, so skipping the
second alarm a third was turned in i'm
mediately. The water tower was slow in
getting to work, consuming nearly fifteen
minutes before 1t got a stream of water
on the building. After ii began opera
tons, however, the flames were soon ex-
unguiShed.
The Bernhard Company has been work
ing a force of 102 men night and day for
the past month in order TO fill a number
OF large orders, and has enough work on
hand to keep a full force at work for the
next three months. A 5000 Government
contract for supplying the transports with
mattresses were one OF the orders being
filled at the time of the fire. large
number of mattresses had been com
pleted, and these were to have been taken
aboard the Valencia and Senator this
morning. They were stored on the first
floor of the building, and in spite of the
rubber blankets placed over them by the
men from the fire patrol it is feared they
have been damaged by water. Whether |
enough unchanged ones can be found to
supply the two troOpShipS, which were
10 depart this week, is a question, and |
if there are enough the members of the |
firm fear that the insurance companies
viii not allow them TO be removed until /
they can be examined and the salvage es-
timated. This will take two or three
days, so it is probable that the trans
ports Will be delayed for that length of |
time.
Perhaps a week will be required to fit |
up the factory In shape to begin work !
on the fittings for the other troop ships |
which are expected to leave soon after |
the departure of the Senator and Valen- |
cha The firm has been planning to move |
into a building directly across the street |
for some time, and the fire will in all |
probability hasten the move. An order |
from the Pacific Mail Company for the /
refitting of the China and City of Pana-
ma was being filled by the Bernhard Com
pany, and the leather fittings have been
damaged more or less by water and
smoke.
which was completely Quilted. In the third |
story was the upholstering shop, while
the second floor was used as a store room.
Captain Comstock of the fire patrol had
the stock well blanketed in a short time
after the alarm was turned in but the
entire building was flooded With water
from the tower and a great deal of the
stock was damaged
The loss is estimated by the owners to
be about $15 ,000 but Captain Comstock
thinks 1t will hardly reach $4,000 This
Is entirely covered by insurance, the COM
pany carrying policies for between $4,000
and 500, 900. The damage to the building.
which is owned by Mrs r. f. Deane of
Berkeley, will not exceed $500.
The motor which started the fire had
lishment and on advice from the fore
man preparations had been made to have
II boxed to-day. After the firemen had
left the building last evening employees
of the establishment were paid their
weeks wages and instructed to report
for work this morning.
TROOPS ORDERED ON BOARD.
The Senator May Sail for Manila To-