The herald., 1898-08-29
ALL GONE UP IN SMOKE
SOAP WORKS DESTROYED BY
FIRE THIS MORNING
Two-Etory Cottage Also Burnsd-An
Explosion Thought to Have
Caused the Blaze

The Los Angeles Soap company's entire
plant on Banning street, from No. $50 to No.
$50, was totally destroyed by fire this morn
ing at o'clock, involving loss of fully $780,
600 to the company and $1,000 to other parties.
The origin Of the fire is at present unknown,
but, from the statements of neighbors, the
blaze must have been preceded by an ex-
plosion, as loud report awakened the peo-
Pile in the vicinity. There were various
chemicals stored about the works. which
ere necessary in the manufacture of the
rious products of the factory, and It Is
ssible that some of them may have ex-
ploded through spontaneous combustion.
8, far as can be ascertained, the fire must
have started In one of the north corners Of
the talow and glycerine departments,
which were located back of the long row
Of two-story buildings on Banning street.
which were utilized as salsoda works, sales
rooms, store rooms and office. Driveways
separated the glycerine works from the
muin body of buildings.
It took but remarkably short time for
the fire to spread. The explosion occurred
about 1:4O o'clock and within a few minutes
the flames were leaping through the rco
of the tallow department andattacking the
adjoining buildings. The offices on Ban
ming street soon took fire and within fifteen
minutes after the discovery of the flames
tho sky was brilliantly lighted.
There are number of cottages and
houses all around the Banning street build
lngsi and for time It looked as II all of
these might be swept away. To the east
of the soap works. just across the drive
way, was the two-story house Of J. J..
Forthman, at COS Banning street. occu-
r.ed by H. Ruschaupt as a lodging house.
When the flames had secured hold, of the
buildings on the same street it began to
look as II this place was doomed, and so
It proved. Gangs of men were taking turns
relieving each other playing a garden hose
on the lodging house, but hotter grew the
flames and in little while the attempt to
save the building was abandoned and the
men started into the house to rescue what
was possible.
of wind. Had there been breeze, 1t is i'm
possible to estimate how serious the dam
g age might have been or how many people
rendered homeless. On the west of the
soap works stood a one-story cottage, &C.
cupied by family named Zahns. The oc-
cupants took no chances, but removed all of
their goods as soon as the possible extent
of the fire was seen. What slight breeze
there was, however, directed the flames to-
ward the east. Across from the soap works
on Banning street, were the brick buildings
at 551-553 occupied by Wells-Fargo Express
company as stables and barns. This place
was never In much danger.
Directly opposite the soap works was a
frame building used as a warehouse by
the soap company. 1t looked several times
as II this warehouse would go, but the ef-
forts Of the f1remen saved it. The cottage
at 500 Banning street. occupied by Mrs.
v. G. Langdon and son, was badly ccnrched
but the fire across the street burned Itself
out in time to save 1t from total dest.uc-
ton. Mrs. Langdon was overcome by tho
heat and smoke and had to be carriedIawav
On the First street side the brick building
occupied on the second floor by the Los An
geles Lithographing Co. and owned by the
Los Angeles Soap company, acted as .
break and prevented the fire from spread.
ing in that direction. The sheds and en-.
CINE house of the soap works all caught fire
and were nearly destroyed. The hide de-
partment had not caught at a. m. The
fire department experienced great difficulty
in getting water, and but four lines Of
hose could be brought to bear on the flames,
although general alarm had been turned
in. This was said to be due to the scarcity
Of MIGRANTS in that locality.
The Los Angeles Soap company Is
a stock company composed of ]. j. Ber-
gin, ]. A. Forthnan and H. E. Forthman
They estimate their loss at about 500, 900,
which is nearly covered by insurance. The
loss to the other buildings will amount to
about S6O0O partially insured.